Mari Kim South Korea, b. 1979
Images
Biography
Mari Kim is a Korean artist who uses the language of Manga, Disney and Pop-Art to make her glossily realised paintings. Her images derive from a rich mixture of Western and Eastern cultural references. She produces pieces which explicitly reflect a pop sensibility and aesthetic back at her audience.
She trained as an animator in Australia before moving back to Korea and embarking on a successful career as a video director. This is where she developed her signature 'Eyedoll' characters. These distinctive images became the protagonists of her painting project.
The 'Big Eye Doll' archetype embodies a wide gallery of female subjects. These range from teenage girls to a variety of well-known characters, both real and fictional, including The Queen, Margaret Thatcher, Angelina Jolie, Snow White and Cat Woman. These are depicted in a richly coloured, decorative, graphic manner. Sometimes the background is covered in text, rendered in the highly stylised forms of graffiti.
These lush and jewelled images, the graphic handling emphasising their flatness, have the lustre of 'bright and shiny' consumables lined up in a department store display case for our delectation. They speak of acquisitive desire and instant gratification. Their formula of production and the uniform treatment of the subjects, irrespective of their actuality, makes for a message of 'the same, but different', like the ranges of mobile phones or watches we see in the store. The pictures are a lure for a hungry eye.
Contrastingly, the artist has spoken about a sense of threat in her work, saying that she is interested in expressing the 'twisted innocence' of 'evil kids in mass media'. On closer inspection, these images of women and girls carry some more sinister freight after all. The fact that this is concealed in such an attractive package makes it all the more startling.
If this is an artist for whom the surface is all, she has some interesting things to say about what that surface reveals to us.
Works
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Mari KimDomestic life, 2022Acrylic Paint Air Sprayed on Ultra Chrome Ink Printed Canvas42 x 63 in
107 x 160 cm -
Mari KimSong for Nobody, 2021Oil Paint on Ultra Chrome Ink Printed Canvas34 x 25 in
86 x 64 cm -
Mari KimGiseng 9, 2018Genuine Gold Leaf Plated on Ultra Chrome Ink Printed Paper28 ½ x 23 ½ in
72 x 60 cm -
Mari KimMoet & Chandon: Grand Cremant Imperial (homage to Alphonse Mucha), 2018Acrylic on ultra chrome ink printed paper63 x 24 in
160 x 61 cm -
Mari KimAstronaut in Solar System Portrait, 2016Genuine Gold and Silver Leaf Plated on Ultra Chrome Ink Printed Paper54 ½ x 57 in
138 x 145 cm -
Mari KimCinderella Blue, 2016Graffiti Mix on Ultra Chrome Ink Print35.4 x 30.7 in
89.9 x 78 cm -
Mari KimDeadly Dollar Gold, 2016Genuine Gold Leaf Plated on Ultra Chrome Ink Printed Paper28 ½ x 23 in
72.5 x 58.5 cm -
Mari KimDeadly Dollar Silver, 2016Genuine Silver Leaf Plated on Ultra Chrome Ink Printed Paper28 ½ x 23 in
72.5 x 58.5 cm -
Mari KimHello Kitty Black, 2016Graffiti Mix on Ultra Chrome Ink Print50 x 44 in 127 x 111.8 cm
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Mari KimKelly 2, 2016Gold Leaf Plated on Ultra Chrome Ink Printed and Acrylic Painted Paper145 x 117 cm
57 x 46 in -
Mari KimSnow White Extreme Galaxy Mix, 2016Genuine Silver Leaf Plated on Ultra Chrome Ink Printed Paper110 x 110 cm
43.3 x 43.3 in -
Mari KimFarewell My Concubine 1, 2015Ultra chrome ink printed on canvas64 x 51 in
162 x 130 cm -
Mari KimKorean Rainbow 1, 2015Ultra Chrome Ink Printed under Lenticular Lenses100 x 100 cm
39 x 39 in -
Mari KimKorean Rainbow 2, 2015Ultra Chrome Ink Printed under Lenticular Lenses100 x 100 cm
39 x 39 in -
Mari KimThe End of a Perfect Utopia which was Made up of Reason, Green, 2015Graffiti Mix with Ultra Chrome Ink Printed on Canvas125 x 100 cm
49 x 39 in -
Mari KimThe End of a Perfect Utopia which was Made up of Reason, Yellow, 2015
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Mari KimWild at Heart, 2013Ultra chrome ink printed on canvas109.9 x 130 cm
43.3 x 51.2 in -
Mari KimIron Lady, 2012Ultra chrome ink printed under 2 transition
Lenticular53 1/8 x 44 7/8 in
135 x 114 cm -
Mari KimKorean Girl, 2012Lambda Print and Face Mount51 x 43 ½ in
130 x 110 cm -
Mari KimYear of Rabbit, 2011Ultra chrome ink printed on canvas51 x 43 ½ in
130 x 110 cm
Exhibitions
Art Fairs
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Art Wynwood
14 - 18 Feb 2024Friedrichs Pontone is delighted to exhibit works from a selection of our international artists at the 2024 edition of Art Wynwood. Our presentation brings together...Read more -
Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary
Presented By Art Miami 23 - 26 Mar 2023Friedrichs Pontone is thrilled to be exhibiting at the upcoming Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary Art Fair . The fair opens with an exclusive VIP...Read more -
Intersect Palm Springs
9 - 12 Feb 2023Friedrichs Pontone is delighted to participate in the 2023 edition of Intersect Palm Springs, showcasing a selection of works by leading artists from across the...Read more -
Art Miami
29 Nov - 4 Dec 2022Friedrichs Pontone is excited to participate in the 2022 edition of Art Miami, featuring a selection of works by leading artists from across the gallery’s...Read more