Installation view
of 《All That is Not Mine》 ©KICHEKICHE presents its first exhibition at the
newly relocated space in Seongbuk-dong: the two-person exhibition 《All That Is Not Mine》 featuring artists Dan
Kim and Jiyong Kim, through August 2.
《All That Is Not Mine》, on the surface, refers to what lies beyond the self. Yet, the very
moment this phrase is uttered, it paradoxically highlights and evokes the
presence of the “self” in one’s mind. Here, “all that is not mine” ultimately
signifies “everything that constitutes me.”
The two artists appear to direct their work
as observers, choosing queer friends or a father as models, seemingly focused
on examining and portraying others. However, their artistic approaches and
attitudes do not reflect a detached third-person perspective; rather, they move
toward narrowing the distance with their subjects, fostering a sense of
identification.
Installation view
of 《All That is Not Mine》 ©KICHEFor both Dan Kim and Jiyong Kim,
maintaining an objective distance from the subject is not a main concern. On
the contrary, Dan Kim selects those around him with whom he shares a queer
identity, while Jiyong Kim chooses his father—a figure who has shaped his
ontological sense of self.
For this reason, the figure who stands or
sits quietly in a corner of the studio becomes not only a subject of making or
drawing, but also a mirror onto which the artist projects their own self. His
body becomes the artist’s body; his story, the artist’s own. His body now
becomes the artist’s own, and his story, in turn, becomes the artist’s
narrative. Despite differences in artistic form and methodology, this act of
narrowing the psychological distance between subject and self—ultimately
merging the two into a singular, interconnected “I”—is a striking throughline
in both artists’ practices.
Installation view
of 《All That is Not Mine》 ©KICHEDan Kim and Jiyong Kim, though differing in
their methodologies, both reveal a distinctive sense of freedom. Centering
their work around “form,” they primarily engage with traditional media such as
ceramics and painting, yet they do not confine themselves excessively within
these frameworks. Their approach reflects a determination to seek a formal
language that allows them to express and embody the self more authentically,
rather than being trapped by conventional forms and narratives. As a result,
the works born from their raw and sincere thoughts and gestures exhibit a
flexible quality, as if moving to a lively rhythm.
