The world-renowned artist Kimsooja, known for her profound explorations of identity, culture, and spirituality, continues to captivate audiences with her impactful projects and thought-provoking installations. In a recent conversation, we delved into her artistic journey and career, discussing the influences that have shaped her work and the messages she wishes to convey through her art. From her unique perspectives on Korean heritage to her innovative approach to conceptual art, Kimsooja offers insights that illuminate her creative process and vision. She also shared, for the first time, some exciting details about new exhibitions she’s planning for next year.

This interview took place via email in writing between August 17 and October 24. 

Could you please briefly introduce yourself?

I am Kimsooja, a conceptual Korean artist currently living and working in Seoul. 

What kind of childhood did you have that inspired you to become an artist?

My childhood inspired me more gradually, and only later in life did I become aware of how my daily life and activities of my childhood could be translated into an artistic vocabulary. In other words, rather than my childhood inspiring me to be an artist, it is now, as an artist, that I reflect back on those memories. Becoming an artist felt like it was in my blood. I grew up near the DMZ, with a nomadic lifestyle due to my father’s military service, which left me with rich sensory memories that find their way into my work.

What are the elements of your art?

I use various media to explore concepts in unique ways. For instance, I use bed covers for “bottari” (bundles) and filming as an immaterial wrapping method, capturing the reality of humanity and nature. Each medium, from textiles to video, unfolds different dimensions of universality and broadens the concepts within each work. Physicality in my work also reveals the void and spirituality inherent in life’s ephemeral moments.

What role do fabrics play in expressing your art?

Fabrics are like a second skin, carrying bodily memories. Traditional Korean bed covers, with their symbolic embroidery and patterns, represent unfulfilled desires, love, solitude, and even death. The bed becomes a frame for existence, holding memories that resonate deeply in my work.

Could you tell us about some important memories from your early childhood that had a defining impact on your life and views as an artist?

One day while sewing a traditional bedspread with my mother, I felt an energy surge as I observed how the needle pierced the fabric. This “revelation” pointed me toward the structural simplicity of horizontality and verticality, foundational to various life systems. It was a defining moment, showing me the deeper cross-structures in nature, mind, and artistic practice, which still influence my work.

Your “bottari” works are quite fascinating. What inspired you to focus on “bottari” and how has this idea evolved over time?

Since working on sewing practice during the early 80s, keeping “bottari” had always been part of the scene in my studio or at home for storing small objects or fabric scraps. It got transformed into a total art form while I was at P.S.1 Studio in New York in 1992. It became a sculpture, a painting, and a performance all in one. Over time, “bottari” has grown from bundles on a truck to architectural installations like the “Crystal Palace” in Madrid. Each evolution explores new ways of wrapping and unwrapping, mirroring life’s complexity through a simple form.

What is the story behind combining your name into a single word, from Kim Soo-Ja to “Kimsooja”?

A name often carries a deep sense of self-identity and, in my case, layers of history. My grandfather, who had hoped for a grandson, gave me the name Soo-Ja—a name with a strong, traditionally female sound in Japanese. My parents considered changing it, but ultimately respected his choice. Over time, I discovered even more meanings hidden within my name. While filming “Mumbai: A Laundry Field” in a Mumbai slum in 2007, I learned that in Hindi, the pronunciation of the word “Sooja” translates to "a needle," particularly a large, 30 cm needle used for sewing mattresses. This unexpected meaning left me speechless, almost as if I were a needle stitching together stories across cultures.

My family heritage also plays a role. The Kim clan to which I belong, specifically the "Samhyun branch," is believed to be descended from King Suro, the founder of the Gaya dynasty (45–562 CE) in southeastern Korea. King Suro married Queen Hur, an Indian princess from Ayodhya, who is credited with introducing Buddhism to Korea. Embracing the combined name "Kimsooja" allowed me to weave these fragments of history, culture, and personal identity into one unified expression.

The 'A Needle Woman' video series is captivating. What emotions did you experience while shooting it, what were the biggest challenges, and how did you feel once the project was completed?

“A Needle Woman” was a series of performance videos shot from 1999 to 2009 in crowded cities worldwide, capturing my solitude amidst social conflict. Some moments were challenging, particularly in areas with strong economic or religious tensions. Witnessing humanity’s ephemerality and suffering over a long period of time and across many places was a truly transformative experience for me, filling me with compassion and broader perspectives on existence.

How have Korean women and their stories influenced you?

For me, initially, “bottari” was just an aesthetic object, not a social one, but when I returned to Korea, I saw women’s roles as the mothers, wives or daughters under a new lens. Korean women’s resilience in the face of social constraints inspired me to work with entire used garments within “bottari”, rather than cutting them before placing them inside, revealing the realities of the human body and life stories. This allowed me to present “bottari” as something so much more than an aesthetic component.

How did the artwork 'Archive of Mind,' which was completed with the participation of many visitors to the exhibition, come about?

“Archive of Mind” emerged from a contribution to Yoko Ono’s Water Event in 2016. I realized that shaping a clay sphere could be a communal, meditative act, where visitors could share in the experience of creation. This interactive process allowed for a collective exploration of physical, geometric, and spiritual aspects of art.

In your piece 'To Breathe – Constellation' exhibited at the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection in Paris, France, what message are you trying to convey to the diverse visitors from different ethnic backgrounds?

“To Breathe- Constellation” uses a mirror floor to create a wholeness in space, merging reality and illusion within the architecture of the marvelous dome in that space. Visitors, regardless of their background, become performers, looking, walking, sitting, posing, dancing, exploring their own reflections and engaging with existential questions in a shared, universal space. This piece dissolves boundaries, emphasizing the unity of human experience.

What advice would you give to young artists?

My advice is to keep moving forward, taking risks confidently, no matter what challenges or untruths may exist in the art world. Trust that your art will prove itself in time, and stay true to who you are and the world you live in.

For those who wish to study or explore art in Korea, what aspects of Korean culture and art would you recommend they look into and learn about?

Rather than focusing on specific aspects, I’d recommend fully immersing yourself in Korea—experiencing everything from its society, language, and food to its unique philosophy, humble beauty, and natural landscapes. Encounter the spirit of the “Seonbi” (a learned scholar’s ethos) and absorb the complexities and passion that define this place. It is an incredibly rich source of inspiration.

What projects are you planning for the future? Could you share a bit about them with us?

I will continue to contemplate current questions I have from different specific sites, themes of exhibitions, or biennales, exploring, answering, or questioning back to each of them. In this journey, I am planning to unveil a site-specific project for the main rotunda of the prestigious San Giorgio di Maggiore in Venice during the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025, followed by another site-specific project for the Oude Kerk, the oldest building and a church in Amsterdam, celebrating the city of Amsterdam’s 750-year anniversary, among others.

''All photos featured in the article and on the cover are published with the permission of Kimsooja Studio.''