Nachtspaziergang
| Height | 80 cm |
|---|---|
| Width | 100 cm |
| Length/Depth | 2 cm |
The painting was created in 2021 using oil paints.
I am strongly influenced by Zygmunt Bauman’s book *Fugitive Modernity*.
His theory is based on the idea that modern society is fluid, uncertain and characterised by constant change. Bauman describes this era as ‘Liquid Modernity’, in which the stable social structures of the past (Solid Modernity) have disappeared and individuals live in a world of constant change and uncertainty. In such chaotic, unpredictable times, people are inevitably torn and confused, as they are constantly exposed to the fluctuations of these changes.
I, too, feel this uncertainty within me. It is as though I were wandering about in the cold, bleak city and felt lost. In the stillness of time, I do not feel tranquillity, but rather the instability that surrounds me.
I wanted to express this inner uncertainty of the individual in my painting. The painting depicts a street in Stuttgart, my home town, as the background, and to represent fluidity, I have distorted the street into a undulating movement. In the midst of the undulating blue street stands a person who is also swaying. They lead an aimless, wandering life, yet the night-time stroll continues. In this painting, I seek to observe the change, the uncertainty and the loneliness, and to share them with the viewer.
Soomin Ko
(Major: Fine Art)
(Tutor: Alisa Margolis)
For me, creating a work of art is much like conjuring an illusion from a state in which nothing exists or is fixed. This illusion enables a form of expression that cannot be replaced by conventional means of expression such as words, gestures and facial expressions. Do you perhaps also recognise that feeling of unease when thoughts and feelings in your mind are disorganised or cannot be categorised? I develop my work through my personal stories – by which I mean the things that cannot be put into words or categorised. For example, the feeling of simply wanting to stay at home, or the way I see the world.Sometimes my work deals solely with my own stories, and sometimes the scope extends to include stories from other people and their different perspectives. For me, creating art is a tool for communicating with the world by giving free rein to the complex thoughts in my mind. Each piece has its own distinct elements, which may or may not contain multiple meanings. The viewer might recognise or empathise with the meaning behind it;
however, my main hope is that each person will find or create their own meaning for the work, based on their personal history and experiences.
Awards 2022 ‘Mach dein Ding!’ Young Artists’ Grant, Meersburg Group exhibition
2020 ‘Horror Vacui’, Kunstbezirk, Stuttgart
2022 Arkaden-Galerie, Freundenstadt
2023 Exhibition tour, Stuttgart
2023 One Night Only – Margolis Deluxe, Stuttgart
2024 Metanoia, Stuttgart
2024 Rundgang Exhibition, Abk Stuttgart
2025 Finish, Abk Stuttgart
Solo Exhibition 2025 Anemoia, Seoul, South Korea
