Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art presents an exhibition by the Korean media artist Byoungho Kim in which perfect shapes gain eloquence in a dialogue with their environment and the viewers
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21st-century minimalism: machine preciseness, sleek textures, and nature-inspired motifs
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Surfaces dissolving in the surrounding space: from physical to ethereal
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Illusory gardens of a technology-driven civilisation offering a chance to lose oneself amid the reflections and glimmer
Every exhibition by Byoungho Kim constitutes a self-important artistic statement, and the Glitter project that has completely transformed Erarta’s circular exhibition space could not be accurately reproduced in another venue, as the objects on display shape their environment in the here and now.
Despite inherent cultural differences, Kim’s visual language is familiar to the Russian audience. The most obvious parallel could be drawn to minimalist art, given the latter’s focus on eye-catching surfaces and profound interactions between form and emptiness. Most of the sculptures featured in the show consist of repetitive elements – drops, spikes or funnels – strung around their structural axes, and are clearly of machined, even constructivist origin. The constituent modules define a form wherein spatial pauses between elements are just as important as their impeccable texture. It is this weighted emptiness of minimalism that is addressed by some of the most voluminous works written by philosophers and art theorists.
Intended for resonant empty spaces, Byoungho Kim’s art confronts the visual noise of the modern world with its overload of flashy advertising and evokes the laconic form of Korean painting known as Dansaekhwa. The chromium glitter of these artworks is a striking device that instantly transports us into an illusory mirrored realm. No less evident is the artist’s desire to dissolve a massive form within its environment and hint at a shadowy presence of some mysterious volumes clearly inspired by nature. Guiding one’s way through this illusory domain are artwork titles which often mention gardens – supposedly of a new type prevailing in the machine civilisation. Closely scrutinising a snowflake or an inflorescence, we notice its endless repetitions and plummet into a fractal structure, and Kim seems to adapt the very same principle of multiplication to sculpture.
While these structures remind one of the existence of a language in which the world is coded, the sculptor uses engineering methods to visualise this language. Machine production of impeccable gleaming surfaces is part of his creative toolkit. Kim’s vision starts as a blueprint and later takes shape on the shop floor. Every object is designed with a clear intent to surprise the viewer.
A reasonable question to ask is ‘What is this all about?’ Minimalist art is intended for instinctive appreciation, neither asking questions nor requiring answers. Chrome-plated surfaces, streamlined shapes, the play of light and shadow are above all visually striking. The full expressive power is attained by the sculpture only in the exhibition space, once it enters into a chemical reaction of sorts with its surroundings, catalysed by the viewers.
Born in 1974 in Seoul, Korea, Byoungho Kim graduated from Hongik University’s College of Fine Arts in 2000 and began exploring art engineering in 2002. He earned a Master’s degree in Technology Art from Chung-Ang University’s Graduate School of Advanced Imaging Science, Multimedia & Film in 2004.
His solo exhibitions have been held at Jiushi Art Salon (Shanghai, China, 2025), Arario Gallery (Seoul, Korea, 2024–2025), K11 Art Center (Shenyang, China, 2022; Wuhan, China, 2023), WWNN (Seoul, Korea, 2023), Soma Museum of Art (Seoul, Korea, 2010), and Atelierfrankfurt (Frankfurt, Germany, 2009). He has participated in numerous notable group exhibitions held at institutions such as Pohang Museum of Steel Art, Ewha Womans University Museum, CAN Foundation, Amorepacific Museum of Art, Seoul National University Museum of Art, POSCO Art Museum (Korea), and the Saatchi Gallery (London, UK).
The artist’s works are included in the collections of prestigious institutions such as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Amorepacific Museum of Art, Seoul National University Museum of Art, Arario Museum, Government Complex and Hyundai Motor Company (Korea), Shanghai Panlong Tiandi (China), New World Development (Hong Kong), and KulturPortal Frankfurt (Germany).
