Jonathan Kim was born and raised in South Korea and spent most of his 20s in China and 30s in Australia. Like his nomadic background, Jonathan’s artwork contains various cultural elements. Jonathan’s practice takes the form of painting, sculpture, and installation based on the Japanese sculptural concept of Mono-ha and the Korean painting style Dansaekhwa that rooted in Korean artist Lee Ufan’s philosophy. However, Jonathan is currently attempt to extend his practice by adopting other post-minimal ideas such as Arte Povera.

The Density Series (sculpture) is inspired by Lee Ufan’s theory ‘Encounter’. The physical structures created using materials found in everyday life are intended for a spatial experience, via the interaction between a material and its environments by a little intervention and transformation. This practice investigates to identify the internal value of the material from its external state.

The White Series (works on paper) was made in The British School at Rome, where Jonathan took the three-month residency in early 2019. Jonathan’s crayon painting (drawing) use to emphasises the tactility and texture of materials and the Korean sentiments created using traditional design and colour according to the idea of Dansaekhwa. However, Jonathan tried to apply the results of his intuitive response to environmental impacts on his work. This series is his signature and record during his stay in Rome.