YOUNGEUN KIM
b. 1980, South KoreaYoungEun Kim is a contemporary sound artist renowned for her pioneering work exploring the social and political dimensions of listening and sound, awarded the ACC Future Prize in 2026 and recognised for major institutional exhibitions worldwide.
Early Years and Background
Raised in Seoul, YoungEun Kim studied sculpture and media art at Hongik University and Korea National University of Arts, later pursuing advanced sonology at The Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Netherlands. Kim resides in Santa Cruz, California, where she continues doctoral research at the University of California, Santa Cruz, focusing on film, digital media, and experimental sound practices.
YoungEun Kim Artworks
YoungEun Kim’s multidisciplinary practice interrogates histories through sound, treating listening as a means for knowledge production and decolonial action. Her works examine themes of modernisation, migration, and militarism, using auditory archives and installations to uncover suppressed narratives.
Notable Works and Developments
- Guns and Flowers (2017) — Horn speakers, amplifiers, drawings, exploring the militarisation of sound.
- Bones of Sound (Visitor Welcome Center, Los Angeles, 2019) — Investigates acoustic memory and collective listening.
- Artist-in-residence, Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, Amsterdam — Advanced sound-based projects on historic contexts.
Select Awards and Accolades
- ACC Future Prize (2026)
- SongEun Art Awards, Korea
- Prix Ars Electronica, Austria
- Jecheon International Music and Film Festival Honorary Mention
YoungEun Kim Exhibitions
YoungEun Kim has been the subject of solo and group exhibitions at leading museums and galleries internationally, including presenting work at the Gwangju Biennale and at M+.
Solo Exhibitions
- Bones of Sound, Visitor Welcome Center, Los Angeles (2019)
- Bespoke Wallpaper Music, Solomon Building + Cake Gallery, Seoul (2014)
- Room 402, Seoul Art Space Mullae, Seoul (2011)
Group Exhibitions
- Past. Present. Future., SONGEUN, Seoul (2022)
- Signaling Perimeters, Nam-Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul (2021)
- Border Crossings, Museum of Fine Arts Bern, Switzerland (2021)
- Gwangju Biennale, Korea (2021)
- M+ Museum, Hong Kong, various installations
- Seoul Museum of Art; Leeum Samsung Museum of Art; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
Youngeun Kim FAQs
Who is YoungEun Kim?
YoungEun Kim is a Seoul-born artist known for ground-breaking sound installations interrogating social and historic issues through listening practices. You can follow YoungEun Kim on Ocula to learn more, see her art for sale, and find out about new exhibitions.
Where can I see work by YoungEun Kim?
YoungEun Kim’s art is regularly exhibited at institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts Bern, SONGEUN, M+ Museum Hong Kong, Seoul Museum of Art, and major biennales. Follow YoungEun Kim on Ocula to receive alerts on upcoming exhibitions.
Are there lesser-known facts about YoungEun Kim?
YoungEun Kim’s research incorporates listening as a decolonial act and explores how sonic archives can reveal suppressed histories. Follow YoungEun Kim on Ocula to get alerts on news about her practice.
Where does YoungEun Kim live?
YoungEun Kim lives in Santa Cruz, California, continuing research and artistic work.
How is YoungEun Kim’s name pronounced?
Pronounced: YOONG-un KIM.
Where can I buy YoungEun Kim’s work?
YoungEun Kim is represented by leading contemporary galleries. Explore Ocula to find out which galleries represent her and enquire directly about buying works. Ocula’s art advisory team can assist with collecting YoungEun Kim’s art.
Ocula | 2025
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