© Ahae Kim
© Ahae Kim

“Wherever I am, my favourite places have been always somewhere with green.”

Name

Ahae Kim

Profession

Artist

Website

ahaekim.com

© Ahae Kim_1
© Ahae Kim

Who are you? What do you do?

I am Ahae Kim, and I make works mainly painting.

Where are you from?

Korea, South Korea.

Your style in 3 words?

simple, subtle, delicious

Your weakness? Your strength?

The constancy of productivity and interest respectively.

© Ahae Kim, installation view, Slade Graduate degree show, 2018
© Ahae Kim, installation view, Slade Graduate degree show, 2018

What makes you different?

To be willing to wander uncertainty.

When did you decide to become an artist?

I’ve always loved making works. I still remember some moments that I drew in my early childhood, and I keep pieces of my drawings at that time. I decided to study art pretty early when I was a teenager. However, the time that I felt this is right way was pretty recent.

What do you find most fascinating about your work?

I am fond of making a system or rules when I make a piece of work, which gives my work a performative aspect. For example, there is a work called ‘time mapping’, that was simply one day one painting to visualise time and memory. There were three rules. 1. To try to paint on that day. 2. To choose what to paint from the day. 3. To select the image randomly to avoid presenting my personal narrative.

© Ahae Kim, A door, 2018, photo by Thomas Jenkins
© Ahae Kim, A door, 2018, photo by Thomas Jenkins

A few words about your favourite creation?

I like my small paintings on paper as they are freshly made.

Someone else’s work that inspired or inspires you…

There is not that much specific era or artists that I am obsessed with. I would say I love whatever evokes something relates with time or memories. However, I definitely prefer museums than galleries. There are three museums in my mind right now, One: Delos Island in Greece, Two: Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, Three: Recently I went to an exhibition, in National Museum of Korea, called Ode to maps(500 Years of the Joseon Dynasty Maps), which was about Old maps in Korea in the past.

© Ahae Kim, wax series installation view, Slade Graduate Degree show, 2018
© Ahae Kim, wax series installation view, Slade Graduate Degree show, 2018

A new project coming up or an idea you want to work on?

After I finished my master in London, I came back to my home in Korea, and I am looking for a new studio. I want to run the space more like an open studio rather than a secretive atelier so that the space breathes with the local people and place.

Finish the sentence „More important than my career is…“

me, my friends and my family’s life

2018: Where are we going?

We are going to 2019. We will keep going anyway.

© Ahae Kim, Untitled, 2018
© Ahae Kim, Untitled, 2018

When the going gets tough…

Take a nap or walk, eat well, try to keep the routine.

Your city’s favourite spots?

It is hard to definite where is ‘my city’. Wherever I am, my favourite places have been always somewhere with green.

Do you have a vision?

I have a direction.

Tell us about your future plans…

To keep painting

Last but not least: what is your favourite Song?

Actually, I am listening to the song; it is Bolero by Ravel. Just I failed to escape from the song. I think the song is too addictive.

Follow Ahae Kim on Instagram