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Everything is Alive: Kim Yong-min's ‘Ecological’ Conceptual Art

  • Journal of History of Modern Art
  • 2025, (57), pp.79~107
  • Publisher : 현대미술사학회
  • Research Area : Arts and Kinesiology > Art > Arts in general > Art History
  • Received : April 30, 2025
  • Accepted : June 4, 2025
  • Published : June 30, 2025

조수진 1

1이화여자대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

Kim Yong-min was a pivotal member of the Space and Time Fine Arts Group (ST), an avant-garde collective active in the 1970s, and produced a wide range of experimental works, including numerous events and three-dimensional art works such as Damp Cloth, Nail, Floor, and Fence. His conceptual art, rooted in Eastern philosophy, was highly esteemed by contemporary experimental artists and significantly influenced subsequent generations of conceptual practitioners. Following his participation in the 15th São Paulo Biennale in 1979, Kim transitioned to color-field abstraction in the 1980s, focusing on flat installations and paintings that objectified floral motifs. However, due to chronic illness, he ceased artistic production in the 2000s and remained largely forgotten in the Korean art scene until his death in 2021 at the age of 79. Despite the recognized historical significance of his practice, the identity and full scope of his artistic vision have remained obscure. This study seeks to reconstruct Kim’s artistic trajectory by examining rare primary sources such as personal work notes provided by his family and conducting interviews with individuals closely associated with him. With this approach, the study aims to clarify the conceptual foundations and art historical value of Kim’s oeuvre.

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