Myeongbeom Kim is a South Korean sculptor and installation artist born in Busan in 1976. He studied environmental sculpture at the University of Seoul. He earned his MFA in sculpture from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2008.
He combines man-made objects with natural elements. He places goldfish inside light bulbs filled with water. He suspends trees with colorful helium balloons. He once transformed deer antlers into tree branches.
“I try to examine how my surroundings are perceived and remembered. To do this, I listen to a whisper from the objects within my surroundings.”
Myeongbeom Kim
What is Myeongbeom Kim known for?
He is known for surreal sculptures that combine man-made objects with nature, such as goldfish in light bulbs and trees suspended by balloons.
Where did Myeongbeom Kim study?
He studied at the University of Seoul and earned his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2008.
What is the meaning behind Myeongbeom Kim’s sculptures?
He tries to breathe life into inanimate objects and explore the boundaries between the natural and artificial, the everyday and the absurd.
Myeongbeom Kim once inserted a key into a real apple, questioning whether an object exists purely as material or also as spiritual value.
