Heena Kim, 김현화
b. 1979, South Korea
lives and works in London
Heena Kim transfers daily events she observes; such as people’s true intention in their conversation, awkwardness in any circumstance, writing and images through social media, and other everyday surroundings, into unique visual words which become narrative yet abstract images in her painting practice. Those daily events or feelings become the beginning of her painting journey. She often changes the scale of the initial image to hover between representation and abstraction, or pick up on specific parts to emphasise or repeat as a visual character. Painting plays a role to crush the subjects down visually and semantically by repetition of deleting and layering, meanwhile painting lines by different texture of brushing to drop a hint of the story behind the abstract painting images.
Education
MA in Fine Art, Central Saint Martins of Art and Design, University of Arts London (UAL), London, UK
MFA in Fine Art, Hongik University Graduate School, Seoul, South Korea
BFA in Fine Art, Hongik University, Seoul, South Korea
Solo Exhibitions
| 2011 | Pink Human, The Briggait Project Space, Glasgow, UK |
| 2010 | Visible vs Invisible, Nest Gallery, organized by Oriental VisArt, Geneva, Switzerland |
| 2004 | The Weirdest Place, Samsung Raemian Cultural Centre, Seoul, South Korea |
Awards and Grants
| 2012 | Finalist for BEEP, Wales’ International Painting Prize, organised by Elysium Gallery, Volcano Theatre, Swansea, UK |
| 2011 | The curators prize, Jackson’s Art Prize, Drawing Crowds, The Stone Space, London |
| 2011 | Finalist for The Briggait Project Programme, The Briggait Project Space, Wasps Studios, Glasgow |
Selected Group Exhibitions
| 2015 | All S-He Ever Wanted To Be, Galleria M, Kolkata, India |
| 2014 | I Meet Together, I Agree, Vitrine Gallery, London |
| 2014 | Symposium: A Banquet of Korean Contemporary Art, Bargehouse Oxo Tower Wharf, London |
| 2013 | Site Specific Squat, Foundation B.A.D, Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| 2013 | Object Abuse, Spinach Research Agency, London |
| 2013 | First in First out, Lion & Lamb Gallery, London |
| 2012 | Kiss the Future, Schwartz Gallery, London |
| 2012 | Through Tomorrow’s Eyes, BEEP, organised by Elysium Gallery, Volcano Theatre, Swansea, UK |
| 2012 | Bow Arts Open Show, Bermonsey Project Space, London |
| 2012 | Citizen, tactileBOSCH Gallery, Cardiff, UK |
| 2011 | Drawing Crowds, The Stone Space, London |
| 2011 | Venice: Vending Machine, organised by Elysium Gallery, Galleria Perela, Venice, Italy |
| 2011 | Drawing Connections, the Siena Art Institute, Siena, Italy |
| 2011 | Manchester Art Crawl, part of Manchester International Fringe Festival ‘Not Part Of’, Manchester, UK |
| 2010 | Curiouser Curiouser, organised by Submit2gravity, The Old Vic Tunnels, London |
| 2010 | Resort, The Residence Gallery, London |
| 2010 | Ways of seeing, I-Myu Projects Gallery, London |
| 2009 | The Sneeze Art Flair, Westbourne Studios, London |
| 2009 | Platform, DegreeArt.com Gallery, London |
| 2009 | The Tomorrow People, Elevator Gallery, London |
| 2009 | Climate Change Campaign Event, organised by the Conservative Party, London |
| 2009 | artWorksOpen, Artworks Project Space, Barbican Arts Group Trust, London |
| 2009 | Inside Out, The Fire Station Gallery, Windsor, UK |
| 2009 | Overview, Elysium Gallery, Swansea, Wales, UK |
| 2008 | Entry Forms, Korean Cultural Centre, London |
| 2008 | System & Patterns 2, Whitechapel Gallery, London |
| 2008 | System & Patterns 2, Westboune Studio, London |
| 2007 | Wimbledon Studio Summer Open Show, Wimbledon Studio, London |