Kimsooja

Kimsooja

Kimsooja is a Korean born artist, who lives and works in New York, Paris, and Seoul, and specializes in video, performance, photography, and installation art. Kimsooja addresses the issues of the displaced self and questioning conditions of humanity.  One of her most famous works, A Needle Woman (2005), is a six channel video projection on a 10:40 loop that shows the artist standing still. with her back to the viewer,  "in the middle of main thoroughfares in various cities throughout the world" (http://www.gf.org/fellows/17420-kimsooja).  This piece brings up questions of issues dealing with identity, gender, culture, and migration.  This piece is very interesting in the way it draws the viewer into the piece, almost as if there are standing with or in place of the artist herself.  The lack of sound and anonymity of the still figure are intriguing and make for an unsettling atmosphere.  The subtleness of Kimsooja's work invites the viewer think about the message being given and its implications. 

A Needle Woman (2005)

6 channel video projection, 10:40 loop, silent