Meditation and Art: Art as Philosophy

Eye of Void 3/Seed, 30x30 inches, sumi ink and mixed media on panel, 2009

In her densely layered paintings, artist Sungyee Kim incorporates the principles of I Ching with the Taoistic pursuit of becoming one with material as in the Transformation of Things, the Buddhist concept of the whole universe within a single dust particle and the sword-polishing spirit of traditional metal-smiths. The result of these repetitive yet unique gestures of layering and erasing is an aesthetic residue which visualizes a consistent mind of self-cultivation. In both form and content, her paintings enact the coexistence of material presence and illusion, reflecting the inherent connectedness of microcosm and macrocosm.