[Kim Soon-gyeom: Critical Reception and Motifs]

[Critical Reception]

Kim Soon-gyeom is an artist with a strong foundation in figurative composition.

By continuously seeking to communicate with viewers through works that carry historical and social meanings, he has earned resonance with audiences.

For the artist, the phrase “to sustain is a skill” expresses the belief that an artist must build a distinctive artistic depth and identity through continuous exploration and mastery of a particular subject or technique.

Within the Korean art community, Kim Soon-gyeom is highly regarded for this aspect, and his work and its process of change have continued to draw attention.

[Motifs]

The principal motifs of his recent series are brass vessels (bangjja yugi) and rapeseed flowers.

Brass vessels, particularly bangjja yugi, are cultural artifacts handed down since the early Bronze Age and imbued with the spirit and life of the Korean people.

Known to be non-toxic and harmless to the human body, they symbolize preciousness and wealth and have long been regarded as mysterious vessels that preserve the properties of what they contain.

The “brass vessel (bangjja yugi)” has become a medium through which the artist expands his personal longing and nostalgia into a shared Korean sentiment. It is also the result of deep reflection on finding the essence of art in a philosophy of emptying.

A distinctive feature of the artist’s technique in depicting brass vessels is his active use of his fingers. By shaping the surface and texture with his fingers, he creates a different atmosphere for each vessel. This evokes the touch of traditional artisans who once made such vessels and becomes an element that invites empathy.

The background colors in his works are primarily based on obangsaek, the five traditional Korean colors, each carrying symbolic meaning. Yellow represents fertile earth, red signifies life and passion, and blue symbolizes creation and growth.

[Selected Works]

Longing Beyond Memory_YOUCHAEFLOWER(Portrait of a Beauty - Connection)162.2x112.1 cm
Acrylic & Oil
2022

Longing Beyond Memory-YOUCHAE FLOWER(Hallasan)
227.3x162.1 cm
Acrylic & Oil
2023

Longing Beyond Memory_YOUCHAEFLOWER(L.PINK)
53.0x40.9 cm
Acrylic & Oil
2025