Meet Herry Kim | Artist

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

Hi Herry, why did you pursue a creative career?
I pursue an artistic career because I saw it as the worthy path for me as I enjoy pondering upon the questions of aesthetics and artmaking. For me, it was not hard to find out that I enjoyed putting together my thoughts in visual formats from when I was a kid. When I visited art shows, especially paintings, I would stand in front of a work that catches my eye and appreciate every detail of the trails of the mark making. This sense of fascination led me to decide I want to be trained in pencil drawing and watercolor painting. And as I grow older and explore different aspects of the art world such as art scenes in different regions and contexts, discourse, different approaches to artmaking, I am learning to understand better what it means to be human, what it means to navigate life in this specific spacetime. I recently set a new goal along with self-realization through art which is to contribute to others’ well being. While I admit it is a bit vague of a statement, it matters for me because I believe this kind of mindset will guide me to make better decisions in artmaking and life. I think my way of viewing the world was deeply influenced by the artworks I appreciated as I grew up. When I was a kid I used to blog about all sorts of my interests, from my own short stories, about my doll collecting hobby, my internet and IRL friends, and about art. I posted about paintings that I found from the internet with my impressions on them. As much as I enjoyed appreciating every detail within the pictorial frame, I was also able to indulge in creating my own paintings and drawings. Everywhere I go I would bring a small notebook that is about half the size of letter paper, and make drawings. There was an immense sense of excitement that made me feel alive when I created my own world on a piece of paper, just with a pencil. It was a moment where my thoughts were translated into something tangible.
With the dream of becoming a painter, at middle and high schools I received intensive training in pencil drawing and watercolor painting. I once became very skeptical of that kind of art education in Korea, which is very unilateral. However I cannot deny that the period equipped me with observant eyes and taught me what it means to discipline as an artist. During my college years I realized that contemporary art is more conceptual than craft-based in general, and from then I experimented with myself to find conceptual direction with my work. As I learned about western contemporary art I realized that the U.S. had one of the most vibrant art scenes, and that sparked my curiosity about the economic, political, and cultural context behind it .
When I go to shows I am very much drawn into works that depict human condition, human agony and ecstasy. I think every life is simultaneously a work of art because art is about what is between birth and death. I think good art not only reflects the times we live in, but also impose hope for the future. In that sense, art is always about the future.

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 am an artist exploring the possibility of interoperable art practice through engaging with digital media. Art, culture, and technology are three keywords of my work. I think artists’ role nowadays is in part bridging the three different areas and to lead humanity to make better decisions for the future. As technologies such as VR and AR become more prevalent, it is important to think about the implications of virtual communities, virtual world building, and 3D assets as real assets. I think it is inevitable that technologies are going to be developed in a certain direction, which is to pursue more immersion and better speed. I also believe it is extremely important to equip people with awareness about the possible dangers of new techs and be proactive in making ethical/technical decisions. My work aims to promote thinking about the amazing potential and dangers of the future to come. Through my work I also want to empower less visible minorities to gain agency in the digital realm and make their opinions seen.
Growing up, I was fascinated by 3D social platforms such as IMVU and Second Life where people embody their avatars and connect with others. My passion for contributing to open expression of the self and immersive digital presence grew from there. That experience made me curious about the border of physical and virtual experiences, how this mixed state of reality impacts the worldview of people and how I can contribute to its positive side. However, my recent experience with VRChat was as concerning as much as it was mind blowing. With technologies that deal with ephemeral experiences I believe humans need to be more cautious of the effects of possible harassment and misuse.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As Los Angeles is known for its art and entertainment industry, I think it would be a memorable experience to explore art, music, and film that are exclusive to the city. If my best friend was visiting LA, I would take her to the REDCAT theater to see original and experimental theater works. I would take her to more art events and openings of shows.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to CalArts Art and Technology faculties who inspired me, Scott Benzel and Tom Leeser, my roommates at grad school, Sumin Ha who is an amazing and driven animator, Hyunbae Peter Earm who is the most hard working graphic designer, Arlette Quynh-Ahn Tran who is a caring and inspiring artist and writer, and my collaborators, Byungkyu Lee, a passionate sound designer and engineer, Shoji Yamasaki, a choreographer, June green who is an audiovisual artist. Lastly, shoutout to my mom for her guidance and support throughout my life!

Website: www.herry.kim

Instagram: heroineprotagonist

Image Credits
Project Title : Capital-rhythm / Assistant Developer : Byungkyu Lee / Print and Typography Designer : Hyunbae Earm / Character Designer: Sumin Ha / Vocalist : June Green / Choreographer : Shoji Yamasaki