Meet Hongbin Kim | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Hongbin Kim and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Hongbin, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
After moving from Korea to New York, balancing my life and work became even more important. Life in New York has become more difficult than in Korea in all aspects, including money, convenience, and time. Because the market price in New York is so expensive, when purchasing necessary materials or things necessary for daily life, I made a list of the most necessary items first.

Additionally, my transportation is currently limited to the New York subway, and my limited English skills make everything take twice as long. Therefore, it has become increasingly important for me to distribute my costs, effort, and time well between my life and work. Although these situations are difficult and tiring, they make me more focused and more responsible for my work.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think my life and career are divided into before and after coming to New York. It has been a year and a half since I came to the United States, and I am currently in a transitional period as an artist. During this transition period, I was able to hold several exhibitions thanks to the alumni association, and thanks to my seniors in the alumni association, I was able to overcome the difficulties of living in New York and the difficulties of obtaining exhibitions.

The lesson I learned in this process is that I must be prepared so that I can fully handle the opportunities given to me without shame thanks to the help of those around me, and even after that, I will not settle down and continue to develop so that I can also become a person who can be helpful to the alumni association or organization. It has to be that way. I believe that my differentiation lies in taking advantage of the opportunities given by the organization and creating results with my own style, and further responding with the means at my disposal.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friends were visiting New York, I would first invite them to my studio, which is also my home. It would be fascinating to discuss my past works and how my current work is evolving. While I often talk about my art and projects with friends I’ve met here, friends from Korea, who are familiar with my earlier work, would bring a much richer perspective to the conversation. We could share a wider range of stories and insights.

Next, I would take them on a tour of various exhibition spaces and galleries around New York. Unlike Korea, New York has a high density of large and small galleries, allowing us to visit multiple galleries in a single day. It would be wonderful to walk around, chat, and enjoy various artworks together. A must-visit would be NowHere Cafe on Wooster Street, which is both a cafe and a gallery. It’s a fantastic place to enjoy fragrant coffee while appreciating art.

Finally, I would love to share some delicious food with my friend. In Chinatown, I love a place called Nam Son, where I’ll end my day with some delicious food.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The organization I would like to express my gratitude to is the Hongik University Alumni Association. Hongik University is the university I graduated from in Korea. When I came to the United States as a student, the first place I felt a sense of belonging outside of school was my alumni association. My seniors came to the U.S. much before me and settled in more difficult environments, and I was inspired by their advice and help to work harder to settle in the U.S. And at the alumni association, I felt like family when I saw the seniors showing unconditional kindness and treatment to the juniors. Additionally, thanks to the Hongik University Alumni Association, I received a 2023 scholarship from the New York Alumni Association of the Korean Community. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the Hongik University Alumni Association.

Website: https://www.vanhada.art

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_vanhada_/

Image Credits
Hongbin Kim (All photos were taken by me.)