Catalogue “MINJUNG KIM”

Korean artist Minjung Kim, known for her unique practice that blends traditional Asian artistic methods with a contemporary approach, presents a poetic and immersive reflection through her work Mountain, currently on display at the Fondation Maeght. This exhibition invites viewers to explore the intersection of nature, memory, and abstraction, themes that are central to the artist’s work.

Minjung Kim draws on a rich artistic heritage, notably Chinese ink painting and Hanji paper, to create pieces where materials and gesture are just as important as the message being conveyed. Mountain, as its title suggests, refers to the mountain, a central motif in Korean culture, often symbolizing spirituality, resilience, and the connection between humans and nature. Through this series of works, Kim evokes the grandeur and strength of mountains while introducing a meditative approach, where space and time seem to stretch and expand.

The works of Minjung Kim at the Fondation Maeght transcend the boundaries of medium. The large suspended pieces, created with ink and paper, are a blend of serenity and power, where fluid lines and organic forms appear to emerge from the mountains yet also dissolve into them. These compositions, sometimes almost minimalist, create a dialogue between the visible and the invisible, the ephemeral and the permanent, as if each brushstroke or fold of the paper reflects the timelessness of nature itself.

Through Mountain, Minjung Kim seems to remind us of the importance of harmony between human artifice and the vastness of nature. In a world where ecological and spiritual concerns are increasingly at the forefront, her works urge us to reconsider our relationship with the environment and to find in stillness and contemplation a form of healing.

The exhibition at the Fondation Maeght offers a unique opportunity to discover how the artist uses abstraction and gesture to transcend the simple representation of mountains. Her works are not merely landscapes; they are visual and sensory meditations on how nature and culture can intertwine to create a profound, universal dialogue.

By presenting Mountain, Minjung Kim offers the public a rare opportunity to experience an immersive journey that touches both the body and the spirit, while reaffirming her position as a key contemporary artist, capable of translating the invisible rhythms of the natural world into images and forms.