Painter finds 'healing' from forest

Kim Seup’s “Harmony of the Forest”

Painter Kim Seup

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Painter Kim Seup, known for her exceptional use of pointillism, holds exhibit at Gana Art Space in central Seoul, starting today.

This is Kim's 21st solo exhibit, themed "Harmony of the Forest." As the title indicates, Kim's main object is forest.

Instead of depicting the woods realistically, she captures the energy and vitality through numerous dots on canvas. Contrasting dots present liveliness of the forest throughout the four seasons.

The artist works with Korean traditional material ― she applies stone-based color paints on “jangji,” or Korean traditional paper, to create unique texture and color. It is a stoic process, but Kim found "healing" from the forest.

"The woods are just the great power of nature itself. The forest embraces different colors, tastes and scents and greets everyone who comes to the woods," Kim said in a press release. The harmony of the forest inspires my work. I will paint the woods until they fill my empty heart."

Kim studied at the Department of Painting and Design for Advanced Studies at Dankook University. She had a solo exhibit at Maison de Gasogne in Auch, France as well as participating in group exhibitions in Japan, Philippines and France.

The exhibit runs through Jan. 20. Admission is free. For more information, call (02) 734-1333.