Born in 1994 in Seoul, South Korea.
Lives and works in London, UK.
Born in South Korea and moving to the UK at a very young age, Sang Woo Kim's discourse addresses his fractured identity and confronts the alienating cultural factors that affected him early on. Throughout his life, he grappled with a sense of otherness, shaped by the clash between his traditional Korean upbringing and the Western culture surrounding him. This profound sense of displacement permeates Kim's works, serving as a central theme in his artistic discourse. Through a poetic visual language rich in metaphors and analogies, Kim confronts the complexities of identity, primarily focusing on the challenges of navigating cultural duality. His art serves as a conduit for raising awareness about these internal conflicts, aiming to provoke a sense of revelation and understanding in the viewer that allows them to truly “see”.
Working with media that range from painting to installation, Kim builds up and breaks down boundaries to create a visual "skin" composed of nostalgia and recollections. His work suggests that the gaze comes from within and is tied to one's identity: until one can cultivate it, one will always view oneself and the world self-consciously. Identity takes on new connotations in the modern social media world, where one's persona is a multi-layered construct and can be created out of thin air. The question inherent in Kim's work is what constitutes identity and how much of it is "real"?
Although all of his work is autobiographical, Kim's recent foray into self-portraiture underlines a pivotal moment in his practice. Self-portraiture becomes a means of reclaiming his identity, narrative, and being—a struggle intensified by his role as a fashion model with no agency over his image. He thus addresses the notions of perception, seeing, and being seen; the subject and the voyeur. Through his multidisciplinary practice, Kim raises awareness about the complexities of identity and perception, fostering deeper introspection and understanding of how we engage with and interpret the world around us.
2024 - FRIEZE LONDON group presentation - Herald St, London, UK.
2024 - ‘MAMCO, from Memory’ group show - MAMCO Museum, Geneva, CH
2024 - ‘My Story Gallery’ group show - High Art + Sister, Seoul, KR
2024 - ‘Portrait of a Man’ group show - X Museum, Beijing, CN
2024 - ‘Recital’ group show - Arcadia Missa, London, UK
2024 - ‘Glance’ & ‘Ways of Seeing’ solo shows - Sébastien Bertrand, Geneva, CH
2024 - ART BRUSSELS group presentation - Sébastien Bertrand, Brussels, BE
2024 - ‘The Blue Hour’ group show - Union Pacific, London, UK
2024 - ‘Present Tense’ group show - Hauser & Wirth, Somerset, UK
2024 - ARTGENÈVE solo presentation - Sébastien Bertrand, Geneva, CH
2023 - ‘All The Small Things’ group show - Soup, London, UK
2023 - ARTISSIMA group presentation - Sébastien Bertrand, Turin, IT
2023 - ‘GOOSEBUMPS’ group show - Anthony Gallery, Chicago, US
2023 - ‘OUTSIDE OF HISTORY’ group show - THEWHOGALLERY, London, UK
2023 - ‘Welcome to my Melancholy’ duo show - Galerie Supermarkt, Tokyo, JP
2022 - ‘DAISES’ group show presented by DAISESNYC - Pleasewait Gallery, Paris, FR
2021 - ‘Abjection as Abstraction’ group show presented by Serving The People - Online
2020 - ‘Show of Support’ group show & COVID-19 fundraiser - Online
2020 - ‘Strawberry Hill’ group show - THE ORANGE GARDEN, London, UK
2019 - ‘PUBLIC TOILET’ solo show - Venice Art Projects, Venice, IT
2019 - ‘FOUR WALLS: 001’ group show - HTOWN Studio, London, UK
2018 - ‘Tragicomedy’ solo show in partnership with COACH - Seoul, KR
2017 - ‘FOO AND FOO x ART.WORLD’ Art Auction - New York, US
2017 - ‘Istanbul Contemporary’ - Istanbul, TR
2017 - 'Licht | Gestalten' group show presented by The Goodwin Project - Frankfurt, DE
2017 - MIA FAIR - MB Gallery, Milan, IT
2017 - 'UK TO GERMANY' presented by coGalleries - Fata Morgana Gallery, Berlin, DE
2017 - 'IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T' solo show - MB Gallery, Berlin, DE
2015 - 'Yellow Sun: The New Contemporaries' presented by Avenir Africa - Lagos, NG
2015 - ‘Avenir Art Auction’ in partnership with Sotheby's - London, UK
2014 - 'Waiting rooms for Waiting rooms' Duo show presented by Red bull - London, UK
2014 - 'The Worshipful Painter-Stainers Award’ shortlist - Goldsmiths University, UK
2014 - 'Partof' presented by ASC Studios - Bond House Projects, London, UK
2013 - Central Saint Martins Foundation Show - Back Hill campus, London, UK
2024 - ‘MAMCO, from Memory’ group show - MAMCO Museum, Geneva, CH
2024 - ‘My Story Gallery’ group show - High Art + Sister, Seoul, KR
2024 - ‘Portrait of a Man’ group show - X Museum, Beijing, CN
2024 - ‘Recital’ group show - Arcadia Missa, London, UK
2024 - ‘Glance’ & ‘Ways of Seeing’ solo shows - Sébastien Bertrand, Geneva, CH
2024 - ART BRUSSELS group presentation - Sébastien Bertrand, Brussels, BE
2024 - ‘The Blue Hour’ group show - Union Pacific, London, UK
2024 - ‘Present Tense’ group show - Hauser & Wirth, Somerset, UK
2024 - ARTGENÈVE solo presentation - Sébastien Bertrand, Geneva, CH
2023 - ‘All The Small Things’ group show - Soup, London, UK
2023 - ARTISSIMA group presentation - Sébastien Bertrand, Turin, IT
2023 - ‘GOOSEBUMPS’ group show - Anthony Gallery, Chicago, US
2023 - ‘OUTSIDE OF HISTORY’ group show - THEWHOGALLERY, London, UK
2023 - ‘Welcome to my Melancholy’ duo show - Galerie Supermarkt, Tokyo, JP
2022 - ‘DAISES’ group show presented by DAISESNYC - Pleasewait Gallery, Paris, FR
2021 - ‘Abjection as Abstraction’ group show presented by Serving The People - Online
2020 - ‘Show of Support’ group show & COVID-19 fundraiser - Online
2020 - ‘Strawberry Hill’ group show - THE ORANGE GARDEN, London, UK
2019 - ‘PUBLIC TOILET’ solo show - Venice Art Projects, Venice, IT
2019 - ‘FOUR WALLS: 001’ group show - HTOWN Studio, London, UK
2018 - ‘Tragicomedy’ solo show in partnership with COACH - Seoul, KR
2017 - ‘FOO AND FOO x ART.WORLD’ Art Auction - New York, US
2017 - ‘Istanbul Contemporary’ - Istanbul, TR
2017 - 'Licht | Gestalten' group show presented by The Goodwin Project - Frankfurt, DE
2017 - MIA FAIR - MB Gallery, Milan, IT
2017 - 'UK TO GERMANY' presented by coGalleries - Fata Morgana Gallery, Berlin, DE
2017 - 'IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T' solo show - MB Gallery, Berlin, DE
2015 - 'Yellow Sun: The New Contemporaries' presented by Avenir Africa - Lagos, NG
2015 - ‘Avenir Art Auction’ in partnership with Sotheby's - London, UK
2014 - 'Waiting rooms for Waiting rooms' Duo show presented by Red bull - London, UK
2014 - 'The Worshipful Painter-Stainers Award’ shortlist - Goldsmiths University, UK
2014 - 'Partof' presented by ASC Studios - Bond House Projects, London, UK
2013 - Central Saint Martins Foundation Show - Back Hill campus, London, UK
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS:
MAMCO Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Geneva, CH
X Museum, Beijing, CN
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
ÉMERGENT MAGAZINE - “THESE ARTISTS ARE CREATING A SPACE FOR THEMSELVES IN A SHRINKING WORLD” 2024
ANOTHER MAGAZINE - “Inside the Exhibition Spotlighting Britain’s Artists of Tomorrow” 2024
ELEPHANT MAGAZINE - “The artists keeping the absurdist, irreverent spirit of Dada alive” 2020
THE TRAVEL ALMANAC - 2020 print issue 18 exclusive artist interview and feature
L’OFFICIEL HOMMES KOREA - October 2019 print issue exclusive artist interview and feature
FAD MAGAZINE - ‘PUBLIC TOILET’ solo exhibition review and feature 2019
ANOTHER MAN MAGAZINE - Culture Guide November 2019 ‘PUBLIC TOILET’ solo show feature
i-D - 'LONDON ART NOW !' 2018 - Artist interview and feature
i-D - online artist feature
i-D - print issue 2017 by Tim Walker 'The Creativity Issue' collaboration and artist feature
ANOTHER MAN MAGAZINE - S/S 2017 print issue 'WHO'S HAPPENING' artist interview and feature
W MAGAZINE KOREA - 'THE CREATORS' short artist documentary film
W MAGAZINE KOREA - March 2017 print issue guest editor + full artist feature and interview
ESQUIRE MAGAZINE KOREA - April 2017 print issue artist feature
BRITISH GQ STYLE MAGAZINE - S/S 2017 print issue solo show feature
CLM FILM - short artist documentary film by Emma Dalzell
VICE CREATOR'S PROJECT -IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T solo show online feature and artist feature
INTERVIEW MAGAZINE DE -IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T solo show online feature and interview
DEUTSCHE WELLE NEWSPAPER - -' IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T ' solo show online feature
DAZED MAGAZINE UK - IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T solo show online feature and artist interview
i-D - IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T solo show online feature and artist interview
U.S TEEN VOGUE MAGAZINE- June/July 2016 print issue artist interview and feature
VOGUE MAGAZINE KOREA - October 2015 print issue exclusive artist interview and 'People' feature
W MAGAZINE KOREA - online artist interview and feature
MAMCO Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Geneva, CH
X Museum, Beijing, CN
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
ÉMERGENT MAGAZINE - “THESE ARTISTS ARE CREATING A SPACE FOR THEMSELVES IN A SHRINKING WORLD” 2024
ANOTHER MAGAZINE - “Inside the Exhibition Spotlighting Britain’s Artists of Tomorrow” 2024
ELEPHANT MAGAZINE - “The artists keeping the absurdist, irreverent spirit of Dada alive” 2020
THE TRAVEL ALMANAC - 2020 print issue 18 exclusive artist interview and feature
L’OFFICIEL HOMMES KOREA - October 2019 print issue exclusive artist interview and feature
FAD MAGAZINE - ‘PUBLIC TOILET’ solo exhibition review and feature 2019
ANOTHER MAN MAGAZINE - Culture Guide November 2019 ‘PUBLIC TOILET’ solo show feature
i-D - 'LONDON ART NOW !' 2018 - Artist interview and feature
i-D - online artist feature
i-D - print issue 2017 by Tim Walker 'The Creativity Issue' collaboration and artist feature
ANOTHER MAN MAGAZINE - S/S 2017 print issue 'WHO'S HAPPENING' artist interview and feature
W MAGAZINE KOREA - 'THE CREATORS' short artist documentary film
W MAGAZINE KOREA - March 2017 print issue guest editor + full artist feature and interview
ESQUIRE MAGAZINE KOREA - April 2017 print issue artist feature
BRITISH GQ STYLE MAGAZINE - S/S 2017 print issue solo show feature
CLM FILM - short artist documentary film by Emma Dalzell
VICE CREATOR'S PROJECT -IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T solo show online feature and artist feature
INTERVIEW MAGAZINE DE -IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T solo show online feature and interview
DEUTSCHE WELLE NEWSPAPER - -' IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T ' solo show online feature
DAZED MAGAZINE UK - IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T solo show online feature and artist interview
i-D - IF YOU SEE ME NOW YOU DON'T solo show online feature and artist interview
U.S TEEN VOGUE MAGAZINE- June/July 2016 print issue artist interview and feature
VOGUE MAGAZINE KOREA - October 2015 print issue exclusive artist interview and 'People' feature
W MAGAZINE KOREA - online artist interview and feature