Kim, Suntae
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Kim, Suntae: The Sublime Resonance of Emptiness
Sculpting the Abyss of Inner Vision Beyond the Horizon of East and West
"Painting reveals secret stories through the profound depth of color and the resonance of form. There, even wandering and frustration become a magnificent wilderness." This confession by Suntae Kim signifies that his work is not merely a visual play, but a noble journey toward the essence of existence.
A Journey Beyond Boundaries: The Convergence of Continents
Suntae Kim’s artistic trajectory has traversed a vast cultural amplitude, from the meditative brushwork of traditional Korean painting to the dynamic plastic language of contemporary French art. He does not settle within artificial boundaries; instead, he roams freely across them, establishing a "Third Pictorial Space" where Eastern contemplation and Western materiality achieve a sublime wholeness. His canvas is a site where his authentic identity is manifested through the harmonious intersection of two worlds.
The Essence of Ritual: Transcending the Narratives of Georges Mathieu
Kim’s paintings are not static results; they are the meditative vestiges (The Trace of Breath) left behind after a rigorous process of "emptying." While his brushwork shares the improvised eruption and velocity seen in the works of Georges Mathieu, the pioneer of French Lyrical Abstraction, it is fundamentally anchored in Eastern restraint and the philosophy of "Non-action." If Mathieu’s work is a record of explosive energy, Kim’s work is a record of the stillness achieved by emptying that very energy. This repetitive ritual of dismantling the formalized ego and abandoning secular compulsions represents the pinnacle of Performative Abstraction.
Material Spirituality: The Luxury of Contemplative Space
By relinquishing the constraints of themes, titles, and even mediums, Kim responds only to his internal calling. His uninhibited brushstrokes exhale an unpretentious vitality, becoming one with the space that operates with effortless indifference. The tension inherent in this process of shedding layers transforms the canvas into a site of Material Spirituality, where the physical texture resonates with the intangible depths of the soul.
To acquire Suntae Kim’s work is to embrace the Luxury of Silence in a world saturated with noise. His compositions invite the viewer into a "secret room"—a silent yet magnificent sanctuary where the soul can finally find repose. By removing the "self" from the forefront, Kim paradoxically discovers his most vivid essence, offering the most elegant consolation contemporary art can provide.
CV | Kim, Suntae
Kim, Suntae
b. 1960
Education
1993 Graduated from the Department of Painting, École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France
1991 Graduated from the Graduate School, Department of Fine Arts, Université Paris 8, France
1988 Graduated from the Department of Fine Arts, Université Paris 8, France
1983 Graduated from the Department of Oriental Painting, Hongik University, Korea
Solo Exhibitions
2024
Kim Suntae Invitational Exhibition, Gallery Sum, Daejeon, South Korea
2023
‘Le vent, il pleut’, Daejeon Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
‘Madeleine’, Dongne Art Museum, Wonju, South Korea
‘Familiar Anxiety’, TTE Art Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2022
‘Two Ways of Painting’, Wow Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2021
Kim Suntae Invitational Exhibition, Red-L Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
2020
COUROIRE, KC GLOBAL Startup, Pangyo, South Korea
2019
‘Walking to the 3rd Floor’, Gallery Choi, Seoul, South Korea
Kim Suntae Invitational Exhibition, Hanbyeokwon Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
Kim Suntae Invitational Exhibition, Jiso Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
2018
‘An Unexpected Exhibition’, Art Arena, Goyang, South Korea
2017
Kim Suntae Invitational Exhibition, Gallery Märchen, Daejeon, South Korea
‘Gumanli: Incertain lieu’, Gallery Choi, Seoul, South Korea
2016
Special Prize Winners Exhibition, Lee Donghoon Art Award, Daejeon Museum of Art, South Korea
2014
‘Spring’, Seongmo Village, South Korea
2012
‘Late Afternoon’, United Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2011
Kim Suntae Invitational Exhibition, Gabo Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
2009
Kim Suntae Exhibition, Gallery The Art, Daejeon, South Korea
2008
Kim Suntae Invitational Exhibition, Gallery Sejul, Seoul, South Korea
2007
‘Allo Kim Suntae’, Sung Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
2005
Kim Suntae Exhibition, BIBI SPACE, Daejeon, South Korea
And many others
Group Exhibitions
2025
Daejeon Art Forum ‘Beyond Language’, Daejeon Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
Econotext Exhibition, Daedeok Art Center, Daejeon, South Korea
Hwayeon Exhibition, Jeong Young-bok Art Museum, Daejeon, South Korea
GIAF Gongju International Art Festival, Imlip Art Museum, Gongju, South Korea
Jiwoo Gallery Opening Exhibition, Jiwoo Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
HEILL Fall/Winter 25/26 Paris Fashion Week, War Memorial of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
Pioneers of Korean Modern & Contemporary Art, Jangsaengpo Culture Warehouse, Ulsan, South Korea
2024
APSpace Gallery Invitational Exhibition, APSpace Gallery, New York
‘From Paris Artsenal’, Salon H, Seoul, South Korea
Econotext Exhibition, Igong Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
Daejeon Art Forum, Igong Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
Daejeon International Art Festival 2024, Artists’ House, Daejeon, South Korea
Art Busan 2024, BEXCO, Busan, South Korea
Galleries Art Fair 2024, COEX, Seoul, South Korea
Daejeon Art Fair 2024, Artists’ House, Daejeon, South Korea
2023
6th CAAF Sangsaeng Art Festival, Starfield, Goyang, South Korea
Econotext Exhibition, Wooyeon Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
40th Anniversary Exhibition of Korean Artists in France, Space Sajik, Seoul, South Korea
Galleries Art Fair 2023, COEX, Seoul, South Korea
Bon; Essentialism – 12 Artists Non-figurative Group Exhibition, Gallery Choi, Seoul, South Korea
3rd “Blooming Spring” JEJU Charity Exhibition, Mondak Cultural Space, Jeju, South Korea
Hwadong Fair – Geumbo Seong Art Fair Invitational, Geumbo Seong Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
2022
Econotext Exhibition, Gotvin Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
Baedari Itta Space Opening Exhibition, Incheon, South Korea
KOREA Art Fair 2022 Return of the Stars, COEX, Seoul, South Korea
From Seoul to Merida, Merida, Mexico
Independents Invitational Exhibition, Artists’ House, Daejeon, South Korea
Shinsegae Art Museum Opening Exhibition, Daejeon, South Korea
Depth of Sensation (Merhen Project Exhibition), Gallery Merhen, Daejeon, South Korea
Blooming Spring, Mondak Cultural Complex, Jeju, South Korea
2021
No.1 Opening Exhibition, Gallery SOSA
Space of Healing, Supia Museum, Gasan FAS, Gong-sil Museum, Sejong, South Korea
Contemporary Art Association Exhibition, Wooyeon Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
2020
Adieu Dystopia – Disaster Crisis Special Exhibition, Artcelsi Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Family Month Exhibition, Wow Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
A Wonderful Day in October, Art Space Hoseo, Seoul, South Korea
Leading Figures of Contemporary Art, Hyundai Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
ROTC Elite Artists Invitational, Nama Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Contemporary Art Drawing Exhibition, W Museum, Iksan, South Korea
2019
KIAF, COEX, Seoul, South Korea
Art Busan, BEXCO, Busan, South Korea
Hongik University 40th Anniversary Alumni Exhibition, Art Space Hoseo, Seoul, South Korea
From the Corner, New Island, Daejeon, South Korea
Gimhae Biennale International Art Festival, Gimhae Arts Center, Gimhae, South Korea
Econo Dext Exhibition, Igong Gallery, Daejeon, South Korea
Ahn Jung-geun 110 – Painting Ahn Jung-geun, Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall, Seoul, South Korea
New Year Invitational Exhibition, Gallery Art M, Gwangmyeong, South Korea
New Year Special Invitational, Art Space Quillia, Seoul, South Korea
2018
JIIAF Life within Life, Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, South Korea
Prepositions of Space, Daejeon Modern History Exhibition Hall, South Korea
Exchange of Contemporary Abstract Painting, Jung-gu Cultural Center, Daejeon, South Korea
‘Companionship’ Exhibition, Artists’ House, Daejeon, South Korea
8888 PARIS, Gallery Art M, Gwangmyeong, South Korea
Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale, Mokpo Culture & Arts Center, South Korea
Contemporary Art Odyssey, Ulsan Culture & Arts Center, South Korea
2017
KOREA LIVE, Honfleur, France
Daejeon International Art Festival, Daejeon, South Korea
Gallery Ang Opening Exhibition, Gurye, South Korea
‘From Island to Island’, Seogwipo Arts Center, Jeju, South Korea
International Contemporary Art Exhibition – Image and the Gaze of the Other, Seosan Cultural Center, South Korea
And many others
Awards & Selections
2016
Jeju International Art Center Residency, Jeju, Korea
2015
Special Prize, Lee Dong-hoon Art Award
2004
1st-term Resident Artist, MMCA Goyang Residency (National Goyang Art Studio)
1997
1st-term Resident Artist, Arko Creative Center (Arts Council Korea)
1991
Thesis: A Comparison of the Concept of Space in the East and West
And many others
List of Works
Untitled
259×194cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 1996
Untitled
97×144cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2019
Untitled
130×97cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2019
Untitled
130×163cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2016
Untitled
195×130cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2019
Untitled
146×96cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2022
Untitled
194×259cm, Mixed Media on Canvas, 1994
Untitled
117×91cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2024
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