Nature is always active, yet our detached position as humans inhibits us from experiencing all of its biological transformations. Rim Park is an artist from Seoul who who closely observes these changes and synthesizes them in painting and sculpture.
Park studied painting at Hongik University and graduated in 2022. In just a few years, her magical works have been featured in multiple solo and group exhibitions.
“At times, I feel like I can do anything, but other times, everything feels uncertain. It seems to be a journey of constantly having to trust myself and move forward amidst these alternating states.” - Rim Park
While Park is closely connected to the art world, her exploration of literature, films, and comics is what ignites her spirit. Lately, she has been indulging in Korean literature. Park often ponders what Korean identity truly is and how it influences her. The impacts are unclear, but she acknowledges that the way she lives and creates isn’t free from the systems and culture she’s grown accustomed to in Korea. Similarly, her work examines interactions in nature that are difficult for humans to describe or that go unnoticed. Microorganisms are one example, existing on a scale that is is too minute for our senses to detect. Park observes various samples through a microscope and then translates their activity into oil paintings and etchings on dyed paper. Each artwork seems out of this world, signifying how remarkable the nature around us really is.
“I’ve always been interested in the “real” form of the environment that surrounds us. The ground we stand on has an unfathomably long history, and all that occurs upon it is intertwined in a complex way. Looking through a microscope is a way to see the things around me from a different perspective. It’s like witnessing a miniature world that resembles a vast universe.”- Rim Park
Park’s relationship with nature transcends microscopic analysis; she occasionally employs natural materials directly as pigments for dyeing. Park then dries the paper without knowing the chemical reactions or effects that will occur. By using materials in various ways, she embraces situations beyond her control.
“I enjoy examining the materiality and temporality of surfaces. In exploring the canvas as a record of physical events in painting, I’ve come to find that all living beings and objects in three-dimensional space have their own outer layers. Since each entity has different inherent traits and surroundings, they all possess unique textures and forms. Observing these layers and experiencing them in various states became essential for expressing material diversity.” - Rim Park
Field trips to “natural” environments have become Park’s first step before each project. The “nature” she refers to isn’t a dichotomous realm apart from humanity, but rather anything beyond human control or intention. Park visited Gaduk Island, located at the southern tip of Busan, several times. She noticed at the entrance a sense of helplessness hung in the air; the entire area would vanish in a few years. The harbor was filled with tangled debris, and while there were traces of life, it seemed clear that no one anticipated a future for the place. Park collected as much driftwood, dried seaweed, and bone fragments as she could carry and returned to her studio to study the traces of time engraved on them and incorporate them into her work. Just like a house abandoned by humans is no longer simply a ruin once we separate it from its intended residential function, by standing the dried, decayed fragments together as a singular, independent entity, they become real. In Park’s 2024 solo exhibition, They Wait for You, she prioritized showcasing this state.
Park is especially fascinated by trees; they are familiar yet reveal their complexity and mystery when observed more closely. This relationship is symbolic, as trees take on diverse forms based on climate, soil, and surroundings. Park creates tree sculptures, featuring complex entanglements and elegant curves. Furthermore, these compositions of branches seem familiar yet give off an imaginary aura.
Many of Park’s paintings feature unique, curved frames that are integrated into the piece rather than standing as a separate device. In the process of framing work, she immerses herself in the external aesthetic qualities that can be interpreted and embraced subjectively, rather than in the object’s true (or scientific) essence. Their graceful curves resemble the microscopic samples and the trees that Park finds inspiring, as an abstracted form. She engages in activities deeply human, finding patterns, generating symmetry, and carving wood. The result functions in a way similar to the roles that bones, exoskeletons, or cell walls play in living beings. The painted surface and frame unite as one body, organically connected to each other.
Park’s material explorations, mesmerizing use of colors, natural feeling, and intertwined elements all contribute to her distinct artistic style. This links to her interests in film and comics, as both media are narrative-driven and therefore tend to have a clear visual direction. Likewise, Park is envisioning a magical world through painting and sculpture. Rather than using fictional entities, she highlights the unnoticed and uncertainties existing within nature.
“I keep reflecting on what I value and find intriguing in life. This makes me consider how I can capture complex, nuanced sensations in my work that can’t be easily conveyed through general language alone.” - Rim Park
Recently, Park has been experimenting with storyboarding and attempting to translate it into video. As her practice develops further, we can look forward to even more profound representations of what is hidden and complex, yet all around us.
