'Visual Artist' Sangyeon Kim Invited to Inaugural Exhibition at Guangzhou Museum of Art, China

Capturing Philosophical Meaning Through Charred Wood from Sangjeru of Deogyusan
Artwork Completed in Gwangju Studio with Cooperation from Muju Resort
Guangzhou Museum Director Extends Spontaneous Invitation After Visiting Studio
Large-Scale Installation Showcasing the Theme of "History and Time"

Visual artist Sangyeon Kim has been officially invited to participate in the inaugural exhibition of the Guangzhou Museum of Art in China, which is scheduled to open on September 20. The work to be exhibited is a large-scale installation piece created using charred wood from Sangjeru, which was once located at the summit of Seolcheonbong in Deogyusan.

On the 2nd, Wang Chunchen, the inaugural director of the Guangzhou Museum of Art, along with other officials, visited artist Sangyeon Kim's studio. Photo by Sangyeon Kim

Kim's invitation was finalized on July 2, when Wang Chunchen, the inaugural director of the Guangzhou Museum of Art and a renowned curator in China, together with Kate Shin, CEO of the New York-based Urban Space Design, personally visited Kim's studio in Gwangju. After touring the production site, they were deeply impressed by the philosophical significance and sculptural scale of the artwork, and reportedly decided on the spot to extend an invitation to Kim.

Sangjeru, a beloved symbol at the summit of Deogyusan frequented by hikers, was a wooden structure built in 1997 ahead of the Winter University Games, symbolizing rituals offered to the heavens. On February 2, 2015, the wooden building was completely destroyed in a mysterious fire. With the cooperation of Muju Deogyusan Resort, the remains were transferred to Kim's 1,200-square-meter studio in Gwangju.

Artist Sangyeon Kim is explaining the artwork creation process to visitors at his studio. Photo by Sangyeon Kim

This project, themed “History and Time,” focuses on translating the traces and memories accumulated in the burned wood into a material language, and visually realizing the process by which time is transformed into space.

Kim’s creative process is open to the public. During the discussions regarding the Guangzhou exhibition, officials from the Gwangju Metropolitan City Museum of Art accompanied the visit to inspect progress at the site, and administrative support is expected to continue.

Guangzhou, where the exhibition will be held, is the largest city in southern China with a population of 28 million and serves as a major economic center. The opening of the Guangzhou Museum of Art is already attracting attention as a significant event in the contemporary Chinese art scene.

Sangyeon Kim has actively participated in major international art events such as the Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju Design Biennale, Nanjing Biennale, Macau Biennale, and Mongolia Biennale, as well as holding solo exhibitions at the POSCO Museum and collaborating with Hyundai Motor Company on various projects. Kim has also established a unique artistic world through numerous solo exhibitions in Germany, France, China, and Japan.

Sangyeon Kim commented, “The inaugural exhibition at the Guangzhou Museum of Art marks a pivotal moment for me to showcase the themes of ‘spatiality of time’ and ‘differentiation of existence,’ which I have long explored, on the global stage.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.