YUNCHUL KIM

Yunchul Kim is an artist who discovers and explores artistic potential of fluid mechanics and metamaterials. Researching into properties of certain substances including photonics crystals, magnetic field, fluids and invisible sub-micron particles, Kim has sought for the interface between art and science. He proficiently deals with scientific matter and studies the materials’ nature in order to efficiently adopt them for his work of art. Though he treats artificial media, he is often inspired by the nature. He also pays attention to discourses on literature, classical paintings, some theories and philosophy, however, he still gives an prior emphasis on actions of experiencing and touching actual materials. Thus, his constant idea sketching and experiments allow his artistic outcome to gain unique visual effects which are rarely found in conventional artworks; he produces a special impression similar to a three-dimensional hallucination.

In this exhibition, he reveals new pieces, Column Having Three Axes and Spirals, which also offer the fascinating illusion. As the exhibition title , Gyre, indicates spirals or swirls, the material built by the artist vertically moves and descends, creating particular grains reminiscent of sea waves. When substances of different characteristics are injected into a glass tube, they are not blended and rather generate a boundary. Due to the discrepancy of the fluids’ thermal expansions and conductivities, this material makes movements and sensitively responds to a subtle change of the indoor temperature. The boundary surface yielded by the fluids is sometimes inflated and sometimes switches its place up and down. Without any physical interference of the outside, the fluids do not cease their delicate motion and exchange energy with the outer world of the glass tube. Therefore, these two fluids consequently stimulate spectators’ vision by provoking a cosmic sense.

In this regard, each medium treated by Kim possesses its peculiar tendency. Kim noted that traits of materials exist in beyond the realm of human sensation and awareness so that human cognition is not able to anticipate which modes certain materials would be manifested in. Accordingly, the artist suggests ‘Fundamental Gazing’ to the audience who encounters the work that liberally forms waves as the ocean does. Through employing specific matter that usually remains as constituent fluids in objects, Kim encourages the viewers to confront and directly experience their origin and fundamental. As elegant movements of these scientific media remind of wavelength of sounds, the works unfold a distinctive scene which is rarely seen in a gallery. By bringing science into the territory of art, Yunchul Kim’s practice enables the spectators to imagine a source which situates out of our familiar world.

Yunchul Kim, a founder of ‘Studio Locus Solus’ and a chief researcher of ‘Matteriality’, a transdisciplinary research program at Korean Institute for Advanced Study, gained public recognition by being selected as a winner of COLLIDE International Award hosted by CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire Geneva) in 2016. He is actively presenting his works at numerous leading galleries and museums such as National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Asian Culture Centre, Seoul Museum of Art, National Art Museum of China, Austrian Museum of Applied Arts and MoMA(Online), including solo exhibitions at SongEun Art Space, Alternative Space Loop, Berlin Kuenstlerhaus Bethanien and Jiri Svestka.