Kim is known for his interdisciplinary work, incorporating installation, video, performance, music, light andÌýdrawing. He interweaves personal history, fantasy, rumour, politics andÌýculture to create a work that responds to the unique architecture of TheÌýTanks.
Kim’s unique way of story-telling plunges visitors into a fantastical worldÌýof optical illusions andÌýdoubling of imagery thatÌýdraws on a rich history of performance andÌýfilm, as he collects andÌýcollages encounters, sounds, sculptures andÌýimages from his changing homes of Seoul, Amsterdam andÌýNewÌýYork.
Kim hasÌýdividedÌýone of É«¿Ø´«Ã½â€™s former oil tanks into two highly atmospheric rooms where light andÌýscreenedÌýimages bounce off mirrors, reflective material andÌýwalls. Both contain architectural stage-sets that act as platforms for four of the artist’s films. In the smaller of the two rooms we seeÌýFrom the Commanding Heights… 2007, a film which intersperses a story set within the renownedÌýSouth Korean Hyundai apartment complex with that of a rumouredÌýaffair between an actress andÌýaÌýdictator. In the secondÌýroom we see a further three films –ÌýDog VideoÌý2006,ÌýWashing BrainÌýandÌýCornÌý2010, andTemper ClayÌý2012 – each presentedÌýwithinÌýdistinct andÌýcarefullyÌýconstructedÌýspaces.
The latter is central to Kim’s installation andÌýjuxtaposes his parents’ flat in the Hyundai apartment complex with the family’s countryside home. The film explores the complexities of female relationships through love, matriarchy,Ìýdomesticity andÌýsuccess. It looks at how parallel experiences fromÌýdifferent cultures, places andÌýtimes collide andÌýinterlink. Kim’s inspirations forÌýTemper ClayÌýrange from the film-within-a-film cameos of Jean-Luc GodardÌýandÌýothers in Agnés Varda’sÌýCleo from 5 to 7Ìýto Shakespeare’s exploration of King Lear’s reign versus that of his daughters, alongside the personal experiences of his mother, aunt and familyÌýmembers.
Kim’s long-term collaboration with musician andÌýcomposer DavidÌýMichael DiGregorio, who records andÌýperforms under the nameÌýdogr, is also an important element of the installation, andÌýhis music andimage appear in each video. Music andÌýsound, particularlyÌýdogr’s wide ranging vocals, are usedÌýto establish aÌýdistinctive moodÌýandÌýpace within theÌýfilms.
Sung Hwan Kim was born in 1975 inÌýSeoul,ÌýSouth Korea, andÌýlives andÌýworks inÌýNew York. He initially studiedÌýarchitecture at Seoul National University, followedÌýby a BA in Mathematics andÌýArt, Williams College, Williamstown (2000), followedÌýby a MSc in Visual Studies at MIT andÌýa residency at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam (2004–5). Recent solo exhibitions includeÌýLine Wall, Kunsthalle Basel (2011);From the Commanding Heights, Queens Museum, New York (2011);ÌýGolden Times, HausÌýder Kunst, Munich, Germany, (2010) andÌýWitteÌýde With, Centre for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, TheÌýNetherlandsÌý(2009).
Sung Hwan Kim’s commission is part ofÌýArt in Action, a 15-week festival of filmÌýandÌýperformance.