(Sung woo Kim / Independent Curator, Director of Primary Practice)
What to see. More precisely, what
sensations to perceive. This can be described as a process that leads from
perception to one's cognizance. Despite the robust sculptural forms in Inbai
Kim's works, the gaze directed toward them does not merely linger on the
surface. His sculptures expand the focal point beyond their superficial images
or extend it into the interior of the form through the way they exist within a
space. The results of such observations paradoxically resemble a state that has
not yet become anything. In other words, they desire the gaze as entities in
the process of ‘becoming’
into anything, rather than ‘being’
sculptures in a fixed state that have already become something.
In his early artistic endeavors, Inbai Kim attempted to distort fixed perspectives and freely transition perceptions, with a focus on the concept of “dimensions” (as seen in Stand on the Edge of Dimensions, Gallery Skape, 2006). To the artist, dimensions represent a set of rules and conditions that define perception. He deconstructs and connects the boundary surfaces that constitute this system through sculpture and drawing. Regarding medium-specific dimensions, his works simultaneously embody both sculptural forms and the planar nature of drawing. Typically, his projects often begin as drawings and evolve into final sculptures, culminating within the relationship between the flat and the three-dimensional. For instance, the relief work A Woman Who Want to Swim Well (2006), posed as if conscious of the front view, is intricately connected (has to be connected) to a flat pencil drawing on the wall behind it. The fragmented body attains its complete form only when viewed from a specific observer's standpoint. Additionally, the protruding shelves on the wall create spatial illusions with the connected drawings below, extending planes and casting shadows (as seen in Boxes, 2006). Moreover, the expectation of encountering the front and back after facing the concept of the side in a three-dimensional perspective is abandoned; instead, only the sides are continuously connected. Hence, the observer's gaze cannot settle on one side but must ceaselessly circle the structure of the figure (Giridison Bambini, 2006). In the artist's works, the flat and the three-dimensional are not separate forms; rather, they can finally acquire a spatiotemporal presence within the network woven by their active collision and harmony. For Kim, the relationship between 2D and 3D does not revolve around potential reduction and expansion based on physical differences. Instead, it represents a spatiotemporal exploration of an integrated dimension, enriched by the observer's positional perspective.
The transition of viewpoint previously achieved by associating the flat and the three-dimensional develops into new dimensions within the process of challenging or reconstructing rules, accompanied by the submersion of existing epistemic dimensions. This development is not created anew by erasing past dimensions; instead, it unfolds by sequentially sensing spatiotemporality in three dimensions, opening the door to the next dimension through layering and connecting based on the observer's viewpoint and patterns of thought. Therefore, it can be described as possessing an open structure that continually generates new cognizance, enabling the possibility of the next perception, rather than converging one's gaze onto a single point. The artist organizes relationships by experimenting with new conditional values and stimulates the movement of one's attention. When he speaks of movement, it is not physical action but rather the progression and transition of states, emotions, and sentiments. In Move in Earnest(ARARIO GALLERY, 2007), Kim orchestrates the relationship between evocation and progression in a more spatial dimension. For instance, a statue, standing upright like an icon with traces of a hexahedron in the shadow of its face, confronts a side of the refrigerator, protruding from the wall and partially extending into the interior of the space (seen in I Love You, 2007). Apart from the fact that one is a semi-three-dimensional[1]form emerging from the wall and the body is standing towards it, there are hardly any explicit clues to prove the intimacy between the two. Nevertheless, the way each entity occupies the space—specifically, their positions and alignments—creates a certain linkage within the context of the exhibition environment. In such a situation, simply connecting the three-dimensional and flat elements in front of the viewer's eyes is not sufficient to successfully construct the context. Now, as an agent completing the spatiotemporal narrative of the exhibition, one must activate the visual sense of space and the logic of imagination, discovering and tracing a certain rhythm and time that fills the gap between the two facing elements. The gaze following the rhythm in this manner, or the rhythm generated through the movement of the gaze, is evident in the piece composed of three busts, Deller hon Dainy (2007). The busts, each with distinct faces and created from a single mold, presuppose a rhythmical spatiotemporal dimension generated by open figures, unfixed images, born from the same round form and split into multiple images. The continual rhythm triggered by these spatially separated figures evokes the latent motility and rhythm in the frozen time, sometimes in the form of clusters and at times as accumulation in a single figure.[2]
In the subsequent exhibition Eliminate Points, Lines and Planes (ARARIO GALLERY, 2014), Inbai Kim constructs a space reminiscent of a temple and arranges face sculptures without eyes. Here, the artist envisions a space capable of multilayered narratives, challenging existing sculptural norms and notions and securing the potential for dynamic contemplation through the reduction and extension into minimal units, such as points, lines, and planes. From this point forward, sensation originates not from external superficial images but rather from within the principles of sculpture, such as the units, materiality, and existing forms of figures. In this regard, in a recent exhibition titled Do You Remember Love (PERIGEE GALLERY, 2020), the artist dispersed units that organically extend and expand with each other, especially “lines,” in the exhibition hall, completely abandoning specific forms. In Play within the Play (2020), Kim separated the components of lines and installed them in a way that traverses the space. This not only emphasizes lines existing three-dimensionally in space as entities drawn on a plane but also transforms them into subjects and spaces that must be observed as they are. In Line That Wants to be a Line (2020), where linear materials with densely drawn thin lines are erected in bundles on a small square plane, viewers encounter a sense of motion crossing the space from the endpoint of their gaze following the trajectory of the lines. On the other hand, Drawing Made from a Distance (2020) is created with a pencil attached to the end of a long and delicate tool, as if balancing it, to replace the very nature inherent in the linear tool held in hand as the subject of representation. Inbai Kim deliberately disrupts superficial figures or physically existing forms like volume, weight, and mass. For instance, the line and sculpture transform into a spatial subject against the backdrop of emptiness, the trajectory of lines transitions into a sensation of movement, and the materiality of the lines is represented through the sensation of fingertips. Now, the scenes encountered in different positions and views, as well as the physical and psychological distance between the objects within their network, are changing and advancing, inducing continuous transformation of one's gaze. Furthermore, the space that was perceived as rigid is folded or bent, leading the viewer to a new dimension of perception.
Those viewing Inbai Kim's works should adopt an observer's perspective that critically reasons and creates independently, rather than adhering to a consistent logic and causality. Amid the physical distances between objects and within the relationships between the objects and the space they inhabit, viewers must navigate between independent units, link them, and dismantle and reassemble them to illuminate their connections, gaining a new perspective of perception. While imagination fueled by observation and contemplation remains possible, relying solely on sensory information and surface images is no longer sufficient. Scenes encountered fragmentarily within continuous movements and the sum of these parts might serve as clues to understanding a broader whole and a new form of existence, extending beyond mere visual appearances. Expressions like “dimensions,” “boundaries,” and “contact,” employed by the artist in the early years, were used as linguistic tools to aid comprehension. However, they consistently emphasized breaking “boundaries,” generating “movements,” and discovering the temporality, motility, and spatiality latent within and outside the figures. Inbai Kim, driven by the belief that he will uncover the interplay between the stillness of sculptures and the dynamism transcending their images, has challenged the existing system of perception, encompassing (non-)physical environmental conditions surrounding the rigid forms of his works. While many artworks and exhibitions typically present given perspectives through fixed forms, Inbai Kim's pieces permit or even welcome temporary states of uncertainty. More precisely, his sculptures can be understood not as visually materialized static phenomena but rather as forms that connote the potential for dynamic discovery based on the observer's viewpoint. It can be something that exists on the boundary surface of dimensions or hypothesizes a new dimension. Inbai Kim urges exploration of the room for remaining other possibilities by reverting the already existing aspect (being) to a state before confirmation (becoming). Fixed moments do not exist. The time we perceive continues to be discovered in the form of continuity.
[1] In I Love You, the form of the refrigerator on one side of the wall is pushed in, while on the opposite side, it extends as if being pushed out. Therefore, the term “semi-three-dimensional” expresses the mode of existence of the piece, situated between the physical structure of the space―the “wall”―and an individual object, the “three-dimensional” sculpture.
[2] In the exhibition turbulent o'clock(ARARIO GALLERY, 2011), Inbai Kim adopts a form in which multiple entities come together to create a single piece or blends motions that cannot occur simultaneously in one moment into a singular form. This imparts a more rhythmical sense of movement to the frozen sculptures.
In his early artistic endeavors, Inbai Kim attempted to distort fixed perspectives and freely transition perceptions, with a focus on the concept of “dimensions” (as seen in Stand on the Edge of Dimensions, Gallery Skape, 2006). To the artist, dimensions represent a set of rules and conditions that define perception. He deconstructs and connects the boundary surfaces that constitute this system through sculpture and drawing. Regarding medium-specific dimensions, his works simultaneously embody both sculptural forms and the planar nature of drawing. Typically, his projects often begin as drawings and evolve into final sculptures, culminating within the relationship between the flat and the three-dimensional. For instance, the relief work A Woman Who Want to Swim Well (2006), posed as if conscious of the front view, is intricately connected (has to be connected) to a flat pencil drawing on the wall behind it. The fragmented body attains its complete form only when viewed from a specific observer's standpoint. Additionally, the protruding shelves on the wall create spatial illusions with the connected drawings below, extending planes and casting shadows (as seen in Boxes, 2006). Moreover, the expectation of encountering the front and back after facing the concept of the side in a three-dimensional perspective is abandoned; instead, only the sides are continuously connected. Hence, the observer's gaze cannot settle on one side but must ceaselessly circle the structure of the figure (Giridison Bambini, 2006). In the artist's works, the flat and the three-dimensional are not separate forms; rather, they can finally acquire a spatiotemporal presence within the network woven by their active collision and harmony. For Kim, the relationship between 2D and 3D does not revolve around potential reduction and expansion based on physical differences. Instead, it represents a spatiotemporal exploration of an integrated dimension, enriched by the observer's positional perspective.
The transition of viewpoint previously achieved by associating the flat and the three-dimensional develops into new dimensions within the process of challenging or reconstructing rules, accompanied by the submersion of existing epistemic dimensions. This development is not created anew by erasing past dimensions; instead, it unfolds by sequentially sensing spatiotemporality in three dimensions, opening the door to the next dimension through layering and connecting based on the observer's viewpoint and patterns of thought. Therefore, it can be described as possessing an open structure that continually generates new cognizance, enabling the possibility of the next perception, rather than converging one's gaze onto a single point. The artist organizes relationships by experimenting with new conditional values and stimulates the movement of one's attention. When he speaks of movement, it is not physical action but rather the progression and transition of states, emotions, and sentiments. In Move in Earnest(ARARIO GALLERY, 2007), Kim orchestrates the relationship between evocation and progression in a more spatial dimension. For instance, a statue, standing upright like an icon with traces of a hexahedron in the shadow of its face, confronts a side of the refrigerator, protruding from the wall and partially extending into the interior of the space (seen in I Love You, 2007). Apart from the fact that one is a semi-three-dimensional[1]form emerging from the wall and the body is standing towards it, there are hardly any explicit clues to prove the intimacy between the two. Nevertheless, the way each entity occupies the space—specifically, their positions and alignments—creates a certain linkage within the context of the exhibition environment. In such a situation, simply connecting the three-dimensional and flat elements in front of the viewer's eyes is not sufficient to successfully construct the context. Now, as an agent completing the spatiotemporal narrative of the exhibition, one must activate the visual sense of space and the logic of imagination, discovering and tracing a certain rhythm and time that fills the gap between the two facing elements. The gaze following the rhythm in this manner, or the rhythm generated through the movement of the gaze, is evident in the piece composed of three busts, Deller hon Dainy (2007). The busts, each with distinct faces and created from a single mold, presuppose a rhythmical spatiotemporal dimension generated by open figures, unfixed images, born from the same round form and split into multiple images. The continual rhythm triggered by these spatially separated figures evokes the latent motility and rhythm in the frozen time, sometimes in the form of clusters and at times as accumulation in a single figure.[2]
In the subsequent exhibition Eliminate Points, Lines and Planes (ARARIO GALLERY, 2014), Inbai Kim constructs a space reminiscent of a temple and arranges face sculptures without eyes. Here, the artist envisions a space capable of multilayered narratives, challenging existing sculptural norms and notions and securing the potential for dynamic contemplation through the reduction and extension into minimal units, such as points, lines, and planes. From this point forward, sensation originates not from external superficial images but rather from within the principles of sculpture, such as the units, materiality, and existing forms of figures. In this regard, in a recent exhibition titled Do You Remember Love (PERIGEE GALLERY, 2020), the artist dispersed units that organically extend and expand with each other, especially “lines,” in the exhibition hall, completely abandoning specific forms. In Play within the Play (2020), Kim separated the components of lines and installed them in a way that traverses the space. This not only emphasizes lines existing three-dimensionally in space as entities drawn on a plane but also transforms them into subjects and spaces that must be observed as they are. In Line That Wants to be a Line (2020), where linear materials with densely drawn thin lines are erected in bundles on a small square plane, viewers encounter a sense of motion crossing the space from the endpoint of their gaze following the trajectory of the lines. On the other hand, Drawing Made from a Distance (2020) is created with a pencil attached to the end of a long and delicate tool, as if balancing it, to replace the very nature inherent in the linear tool held in hand as the subject of representation. Inbai Kim deliberately disrupts superficial figures or physically existing forms like volume, weight, and mass. For instance, the line and sculpture transform into a spatial subject against the backdrop of emptiness, the trajectory of lines transitions into a sensation of movement, and the materiality of the lines is represented through the sensation of fingertips. Now, the scenes encountered in different positions and views, as well as the physical and psychological distance between the objects within their network, are changing and advancing, inducing continuous transformation of one's gaze. Furthermore, the space that was perceived as rigid is folded or bent, leading the viewer to a new dimension of perception.
Those viewing Inbai Kim's works should adopt an observer's perspective that critically reasons and creates independently, rather than adhering to a consistent logic and causality. Amid the physical distances between objects and within the relationships between the objects and the space they inhabit, viewers must navigate between independent units, link them, and dismantle and reassemble them to illuminate their connections, gaining a new perspective of perception. While imagination fueled by observation and contemplation remains possible, relying solely on sensory information and surface images is no longer sufficient. Scenes encountered fragmentarily within continuous movements and the sum of these parts might serve as clues to understanding a broader whole and a new form of existence, extending beyond mere visual appearances. Expressions like “dimensions,” “boundaries,” and “contact,” employed by the artist in the early years, were used as linguistic tools to aid comprehension. However, they consistently emphasized breaking “boundaries,” generating “movements,” and discovering the temporality, motility, and spatiality latent within and outside the figures. Inbai Kim, driven by the belief that he will uncover the interplay between the stillness of sculptures and the dynamism transcending their images, has challenged the existing system of perception, encompassing (non-)physical environmental conditions surrounding the rigid forms of his works. While many artworks and exhibitions typically present given perspectives through fixed forms, Inbai Kim's pieces permit or even welcome temporary states of uncertainty. More precisely, his sculptures can be understood not as visually materialized static phenomena but rather as forms that connote the potential for dynamic discovery based on the observer's viewpoint. It can be something that exists on the boundary surface of dimensions or hypothesizes a new dimension. Inbai Kim urges exploration of the room for remaining other possibilities by reverting the already existing aspect (being) to a state before confirmation (becoming). Fixed moments do not exist. The time we perceive continues to be discovered in the form of continuity.
[1] In I Love You, the form of the refrigerator on one side of the wall is pushed in, while on the opposite side, it extends as if being pushed out. Therefore, the term “semi-three-dimensional” expresses the mode of existence of the piece, situated between the physical structure of the space―the “wall”―and an individual object, the “three-dimensional” sculpture.
[2] In the exhibition turbulent o'clock(ARARIO GALLERY, 2011), Inbai Kim adopts a form in which multiple entities come together to create a single piece or blends motions that cannot occur simultaneously in one moment into a singular form. This imparts a more rhythmical sense of movement to the frozen sculptures.