KIM KANG YONG
: MASTERPIECE
2019-2023
February 07 – 28, 2024
150 West 55th Street
New York, NY 10019
GALLERY CHANG
KIM KANG YONG
KOREA, 1950
EDUCATION
1981 MFA, Department of Painting, College of Fine Art, Hong Ik University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
1978 BFA, Department of Painting, College of Fine Art, Hong Ik University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITION
2025 Gallery Chang, New York
2024 Gallery Chang, New York
2023 The Columns Gallery, Singapore
2020 Sungkok Art Museum, Seoul, Korea
2019 Gallery LVS, Seoul, Korea
2017 Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, Korea
2013 Gallery Peithner-Lichtenfels, Vienna, Austria
2012 Gallery Michael Schultz, Berlin, Germany
2010 Gallery Parkyoung, Seoul, Korea
2009 National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
2008 Gana Art Center, Seoul, Korea
2007 Gallery Kaze, Osaka, Japan
2006 Neuhoff Gallery, New York, U.S.A.
2003 Johyun Gallery, Busan, Korea
2000 Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1999 Gasan Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1992 Yeemock Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1988 Fine Arts Center, Seoul, Korea
1986 Yoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
MAIN COLLECTION
Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea
Hong-Ik University Museum, Seoul, Korea
Sungkok Museum, Seoul, Korea
Park Soo Keun Museum, Yangggu, Korea
Korean Ministry of Foreign Affair and Trade, Seoul, Korea
Parkyoungsa, Seoul, Korea
Incheon District Supreme Prosecutors Office, Incheon, Korea
Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, L.A, U.S.A etc.
KIM KANG YONG: MASTERPIECE
A HALF-CENTURY ODYSSEY OF HYPER-REALISTIC BRICKS
Gallery Chang is pleased to announce the unveiling of Kim Kang Yong’s second solo exhibition in New York, marking the inaugural exhibition for the gallery.
As a distinguished figure in Korean contemporary art, Kim Kang Yong embarked on his artistic journey in the mid-70s, captivated by the hyperrealist movement. It’s noteworthy that Korean hyperrealism of that era differed from its American counterpart, reflecting unique perspectives shaped by societal contexts such as the construction boom under the 5-year Economic Development plan.
The 1970s in South Korea witnessed a surge in construction activities, with industrial complexes, express highways, and apartment complexes springing up in major cities as part of this developmental phase. This unique societal background significantly influenced Kim Kang Yong’s artistic approach, particularly in themes related to brick and material. The prevalence of construction and urban development during this period became integral to his artistic expression. Kim Kang Yong’s exploration of hyperrealism not only captured the visual aspects of his surroundings but also delved into the essence of societal transformation. His utilization of brick and its material distinctly reflects the societal development in South Korea during that era, evident in his works.
Kim Kang Yong’s monochrome representation of brick underwent a significant transformation upon his arrival in New York in 2005, where the vibrant spectrum of brick colors in Manhattan captivated him. This experience marked a pivotal shift in his artistic approach, leading to the inception of multicolored works during his time in New York. Upon returning to Korea, Kim Kang Yong continued his asetheic exploration and embarked on technical experimentation, further enriching the depth and diversity of his artistic expression.
Yet, Kim Kang Yong’s artistic endeavors extended beyond. The current exhibition at Gallery Chang stands as a testament to his ongoing dedication - a byproduct of his relentless artistic endeavor. Highlighting Kim Kang Yong’s latest works spanning from 2019 to 2023, this showcase is a vivid portrayal of his unwavering pursuit of originality and creativity, catalyzing the redefinition of artistic boundaries. His influence extends beyond South Korea, resonating globally and setting new benchmarks in hyper-realism, thereby expanding the horizons of what art can aspire to achieve.
JunHwan Chang / Director
EDUCATION
1981 MFA, Department of Painting, College of Fine Art, Hong Ik University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
1978 BFA, Department of Painting, College of Fine Art, Hong Ik University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
MAIN COLLECTIONS
Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea
Hong-Ik University Museum, Seoul, Korea
Sungkok Museum, Seoul, Korea
Park Soo Keun Museum, Yangggu, Korea
Korean Ministry of Foreign Affair and Trade, Seoul, Korea
Parkyoungsa, Seoul, Korea
Incheon District Supreme Prosecutors Office, Incheon, Korea
Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, L.A, U.S.A etc.
Reality + Image 2112-1994 Reality + Image 2112-2075 Reality + Image 2112-2077
Reality + Image 2112-2073 Reality + Image 2112-2074
KIM KANG YONG
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2022
KIM KANG YONG
KIM KANG YONG
21
22
23
24
25
Reality + Image 2112-2050
Mixed media, 39’ X 31’ 2021
Reality + Image 1912-1763
Mixed media, 59’ X 59’ 2019
Reality + Image 1905-1846
Mixed media, 51’ X 39’ 2019
Reality + Image 99-1
Mixed media, 13’ X 10.6’ 1999
Reality + Image 99-2
Mixed media, 13’ X 10.6’ 1999
$30,000
$80,000
$48,000
*Available upon request
*Available upon request
KIM KANG YONG
KIM KANG YONG
KIM KANG YONG
SEP 30 - OCT 22, 2025 | Gallery Chang, New York
REALITY + IMAGE
Revisiting the Works of the 2010s
This exhibition highlights the masterworks of Kim Kang-Yong from the early to mid2010s, a period widely regarded as the pinnacle of his artistic maturity. During these years, the artist lived in New York, immersing himself in a new environment that reshaped his practice. The unfamiliar light, sounds, and rhythms of the city, as well as the dynamic context of the international art world, became catalysts that pushed his work to new depths of intensity and reflection.
Sand and brick, his signature materials, gained new resonance through his New York experience. From a distance, the canvases appear photographic, yet up close, the densely layered grains of sand reveal themselves as tangible surfaces. This interplay between image and matter intensifies the tension between reality and illusion, compelling the viewer to ask: “What does it mean to see?”
During this period, Kim also engaged in dialogue with critics, collaborated with New York galleries, and participated in international exhibitions. These encounters gave his work a universal dimension while simultaneously deepening its philosophical roots in Korean materiality and tradition.
This exhibition is not merely a retrospective of a past era. It is a re-encounter with the moments when Kim Kang-Yong reached the height of his artistic achievement through dialogue with the city of New York. At the same time, it stands as a testimony to how Korean contemporary art has established a distinctive voice within the global stage.
For collectors, the exhibition offers rare significance. The works from Kim’s New York years are among the most complete and exceptional in his career, carrying both art historical weight and collectible value. More than aesthetic objects, these works become living presences—continuing conversations that unfold new meanings with time and resonate daily in the collector’s space.
「 REALITY + IMAGE: Revisiting the Works of the 2010s. 」
This exhibition is a meditation on how art reveals reality, and how the act of seeing itself becomes an endless dialogue.
SEP 30 - OCT 22, 2025 | Gallery Chang, New York
REALITY + IMAGE
김강용의 뉴욕 다이얼로그, 2010년대
이번 전시는 김강용 작가의 예술 세계에서 가장 성숙한 시기로 평가받는 2010년대 초·
중반의 걸작을 집중 조명합니다. 이 시기는 작가가 뉴욕에 머물며 새로운 환경 속에서
작업을 재구성한 시기였습니다. 낯선 도시의 빛과 소리, 그리고 국제 미술계의 역동적
맥락은 그의 작품에 깊은 자극을 주었고, 이는 이전보다 더욱 치열하고 사유적인 결과로
이어졌습니다.
그의 대표적 재료인 모래와 벽돌은 뉴욕 체류 경험을 통해 새로운 울림을 얻었습니다.
멀리서 보면 사진처럼 보이지만, 가까이 다가서면 빽빽하게 쌓인 모래 알갱이가 물질적
표면으로 드러납니다. 실재와 이미지가 교차하는 이 긴장은 관람객으로 하여금 “본다는 것은 무엇을 의미하는가?”라는 근원적 질문을 마주하게 됩니다.
이 시기 김강용은 현지 평론가들과의 대화, 뉴욕 갤러리와의 협업, 국제 전시 참여를 통해
작품 세계에 보편성을 더하는 동시에, 한국적 물질성과 전통 속에 뿌리내린 철학적 깊이를 더욱 강화했습니다.
따라서 이번 전시는 단순히 특정 시기의 회고가 아닙니다. 이번 전시는 김강용이 뉴욕이라는 도시와의 대화 속에서 예술적 성취의 정점에 도달한 순간들을 다시 불러내는 자리이자, 한국 현대미술이 세계 무대에서 고유한 언어를 확립했음을 증언하는 장입니다.
컬렉터에게도 이번 전시는 특별한 의미를 갖습니다. 뉴욕 체류 시기의 걸작들은 김강용 작업 중에서도 완성도와 희소성이 두드러지며, 예술사적 가치와 함께 높은 소장 가치를 지닙니다. 이 작품들은 단순한 미적 대상이 아니라, 소장자의 공간에서 매일 새로운 의미와
대화를 이어가는 살아 있는 존재가 됩니다.
「REALITY + IMAGE: 김강용의 뉴욕 다이얼로그, 2010년대」.
이번 전시는 예술이 현실을 어떻게 드러내며, 보는 행위 자체가 어떻게 끝없는 대화가 되는지를 묻는 전시입니다.
KIM KANG YONG
