In the same time and space as us, who live by accumulating memories, there are also those who gradually lose them. Even those who have lost most of what we call memory still move unconsciously, make eye contact with others, and reach out to touch something. Witnessing a loved one losing memory, artist Kim Kwan Young began his work by giving form to fragments of the unconscious, in an attempt to retrieve what has been lost.

His practice originates from a desire to restore memory, drawing out emotions and images buried deep within the unconscious. Consciousness and unconsciousness continuously interact, generating memories that are combined, fragmented, overlapped, or obscured. No memory is ever complete, and this imperfection remains an essential condition of being human.

Kim translates these unconscious flows onto the canvas. A single dot, placed after long contemplation, and expansive gestures executed in just a few seconds, emerge through a process where calculation and intuition intersect. The layered structures on the surface conceal and reveal one another, leaving traces of emotion and remnants of memory without relying on any fixed form. These abstract codes act as a trigger, awakening deeply embedded memories and emotions within each viewer.

While his earlier works embodied the weight of memory loss and inner confusion with a contemplative tone, his recent works reflect a distinct shift. Rather than holding onto memory, the artist now turns his attention to the emotions and sense of recovery that emerge through change. As a result, his palette has gradually evolved into warmer and brighter tones.

Another notable development in his recent work is the expansion of density and detail. Within the theme of memory and the unconscious, Kim moves closer to his inner self, attempting to translate subtle tremors and breaths into painterly gestures on the canvas. This approach layers emotional flows within each surface, making them visually perceptible.

For Kim Kwan Young, painting is not a result but a process. Within the meaning of his blended colors, one comes to encounter the history of one’s own forgotten self. The traces of the unconscious remain alive, and within these layered colors, we are invited to pause—facing the imprints of our existence and the emotions of memories we can no longer recall, ultimately encountering ourselves.

Eeducation

Graduate Hongik University, Seoul, Korea

Graduate Accademia di Belle arti di Brera, Milano, Italia

Award

2011 IL GIUSTO MEZZO. Artista in biciclettà alla FONDAZIONE POMODORO DI MILANO.

     CHARITY AUCTION. Winner. Milano, Italia

      'Concorso di Aquiloni – BIG SIZE ART', Milano, Italia

Museum

2025 《Interstices of Memory:記憶的摺痕》 Da Xin Art Museum, Tainan

2021 Voyages to Korea : CONTEMPORARY KOREAN ART] - Tainan Art Museum, Tainan, Taiwan

Solo Exhibiton

2024 ‘Just go with the flow’ Light Well, Taipei Taiwan

2023 ‘The Pieces’ Little Art Piece, Taipei, Taiwan

2022 ‘Forgotten, but not gone’ L gallery, Seoul, Korea

2021 ‘The Memory of the Unconscious', Little Art Piece, Taipei, Taiwan

      'To infinity and beyond', L gallery, Seoul, Korea

2019 'Linea Verde', L gallery, Seoul, Korea

2016 'The Memory of the Unconscious', Gallery 1898, Seoul, Korea

     'The Symbol of Unconsciousness', Onyou Gallery, Anyang, Korea

2015 'The Memory of the Unconscious', Gallery Grida, Seoul, Korea

     'The Memory of the Unconscious', Gallery Puesto, Seoul, Korea 

Group Exhibition

2024 <Painting Azure 繪青> Lei Xiang Gallery. Taipei. Taiwan

2021 'KARTZ Art Shapes the Future', Arttoken, Seoul, Korea

2014 'Chromatic Concert', Chiesa di S.Bernardino, Milano, Italia

      'Memoria e Inconscio', Villa vertua masolo, Nova Milanese, Italia

      'Emozioni 3+1', Spazio Emmaus, Milano, Italia

2013 'Via Arte Coreana 2013', Milano, Italia

2012 'La maglia' del Milan, Milano, Italia

     'M.A.D', Milano, Italia

     'Via Arte Coreana 2012', Milano, Italia

     'In-flusso, creatività in movimento', Milano, Italia

2011 ‘IL GIUSTO MEZZO, Artista in bicicletta’ , FONDAZIONE POMODORO, Milano, Italia

     'Via Arte Coreana1', Milano, Italia

2010 'Progetto STIRONE', Il Castello di Vigoleno, Italia

2009 'Oltremare blu', Montecarlo, Italia

2015 'Artificial Garden', Seojinartspace, Seoul, Korea

Fairs

2025 Art Taipei with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2025 Art Central HK

2024 Art Taipei with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2024 Affordable Art Fair Hongkong with L Gallery

2024 Beijing Dangdai with L Gallery. China

2023 Art Taipei with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2023 Affordable Art Fair Hongkong with L Gallery

2022 Art Taipei with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2022 Art Solo with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2021 One Art Taipei with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2020 Art Kaohsiung with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2020 Art Taipei with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2020 Affordable Art Fair Battersea (UK/London)

2020 One Art Taipei 2020 with L Gallery (Taiwan)

2019 Affordable Art Fair Singapore with L Gallery (Singapore)

2019 Art Expo Malaysia 2019 with L Gallery (Kuala Lumpur / Malaysia)

2019 BAMA 2019 with L Gallery (Busan Annual Market of Art) (Busan/Korea)

2019 HK Asia Contemporary Art Show 2019 with L Gallery (HongKong)

2018 Art Expo Malaysia with L Gallery (Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia)

2018 BAMA 2018 with L Gallery (Busan Annual Market of Art) (Busan/Korea)

2016 Art Gyeongju 2016 with L Gallery (Gyeongju/Korea)