TRACING HUMAN ENERGY
Traces centers on tracing human energy—the visible marks left by individual lives as they seek meaning and purpose. Aware of a finite and unrepeatable lifetime, Misoon Kim approaches each work with the necessity of clarity, attention, and intention. This awareness shapes both her subject and her choice of materials.
Ink and rice paper embody this condition by their nature. Each brushstroke is a small birth that, once made, cannot be retouched, modified, or repeated. The works do not depict figures but record the traces of human lives—the waves of energy individuals expend as they navigate existence and relationship.
Each stroke represents a singular presence. Variations in force, rhythm, and ink density reflect the diversity of human energy, revealing how different lives move, connect, and leave their imprint. Traces forms the connective ground between the collective flow of Circle of Life, the relational inquiry of Relations, and the resonant continuity of Harmonics.
WORKS
TRACES - Circle of Life
Circle of Life series (1982–1993) explores the origin of life through simplified form and a single, irreversible brushstroke. Rhythmic lines on hanji echo the moment of birth, opening a reflection on time, grasp of moment, and the cycle of life.
TRACES - Relations
From Circle of Life to Traces and Relations, Her work moves from inner reflection to lasting traces and the evolving nature of human connection. Rooted in lived experience across cultures, her work reflects on life, time, and relational existence.
TRACES - Harmonics
Harmonics (2021–current) expresses life as resonating waves shaped by loss, gratitude, and coexistence. Individual traces converge into harmony, where existence unfolds as energy, rhythm, and visual music.