Ideal Live/Work Space: Jung Hyang Kim
Jung Hyang Kim is a painter and public installation artist who works and lives in New York. Recently she finished a 60 foot outdoor glass art piece and a 155 foot mosaic wall for LIG insurance company in Sacheon, Korea. Here she shares her work space – a country studio far from the bustle of New York City.
I have my studio and home in Southern Columbia county, New York. Even though I have had this property for over 20 years, it was not until 2009 when our daughter went to college that I made it my full time work and living space. My search for an ideal work and living space has been a long time coming.
For the 9 years before 2009, I had a studio at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts on 38th street behind the Port Authority. This building houses more than 80 artists and I loved being part of a community with other artists. What also I loved was my daily walk from Chelsea up 7th or 8th Avenue, passing through trimming fabric and button stores. Since decorative elements and contrast of nature/culture are so important in my work, these walks along the stores were inspiring.
What I now love is the 100 foot walk from the house to the studio. There, in that short walk, I feel I am discovering a mini universe and the laws of nature. Various smells, changing of light, pure sensation, dew drops in amazing spider webs, new growth and decay all inspire my work. Sometimes I can not resist stopping to pluck some weeds along the way to my studio, and wondering when and who decided these are weeds since up close their beauty is breathtaking.
My favorite spot is a stone patio over-looking a pond and whistling ornamental grasses. Behind that is a vineyard and sunsets over the Catskill mountains. When I sit there for 5-10 minutes, I am already in a different place, recharged and ready.
Over the past few years my public installations have taken me to different countries and fabricators’ studios. I feel I have to constantly adapt to new locations, new spaces. Maybe all that moving around in search of a perfect work and living space has taught me to adapt and adjust.
But when I return home, after visits to other studios, I am happy.
That first picture, stunning, my wife and i of talk of some sort of modest get away and that is just beautiful. That has been logged in the mental notebook.