Minah Kim ( she/her )

My works pose on a ‘sense’ of belonging and record my desire to translate material and history into physical language. I look at my work in political languages and create it around the politics of aesthetics. Within and around the installation and sculpture, I often maximize traditional techniques' simple and repetitive movement in using the material, primarily clay. I highlight multiple starting points and spontaneous connections by expanding and repeating the minimal action. My work indicates the individual's mind-space, a socio-political representation location. I swim around internalizing the external memories and experiences and externalizing the internal as if I trans-language. I use clay, language, sound, and space to connect with the audience, activating physical communication. One thumbprint, one step of the audience, and the sound become the starting point where the work begins and changes. It is about the moment and the meeting point where I can communicate with others. I want my work to become a contemplative location for people who don't feel a sense of belonging or feel lost in the meaning of political representations and communities.  

Minah Kim is a transnational artist, born and raised in Korea. She’s currently living and working in Philadelphia, PA, US. Minah showed her pieces internationally and nationally including Asia Contemporary Art show, China, The Clay Studio, PA, District Clay Gallery in D.C., Frankfurt Herbstmesse, Germany, and several others in South Korea including exhibitions at Seoul Art Center, Gimhae Clayarch Museum, Gyeomjae Jungsun Museum. She is a recipient of numerous grants and fellowships including NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) Multicultural Fellowship and Artist 360 by MAAA (Mid America Arts Alliance). Minah presented as a panelist of NWSA (National Women’s Studies Association) and AAPI heritage discussion group of Northwest Arkansas. She completed artist in residence program at Anderson Ranch Art Center (CO, US) and Gimhae Clayarch Museum(Gimhae, South Korea), MASS MoCA(MA, US) and moved to Philadelphia as a long-term Resident Artist at The Clay Studio. She is also a short-term resident artist at c.r.e.t.a Rome(Rome, Italy) in 2022, and has been accepted to Vermont Studio Center residency(VT, US). Minah received her B.F.A. and M.F.A. at Ewha Womans University, and she completed her M.F.A. at the University of Arkansas in 2021.