Interviews with Lara Kim

I thought creatively and diversely and really liked to paint it. But I didn't have the courage to show it to anyone. Of course I didn't think I'd be an artist. I worked in a lot of part-time jobs but none of them fit me. I failed so many things and couldn't adapt well to the world. Then one day, I thought I didn't want to end my life like this. I had a strong passion to leave my paintings after I died. Previously, cheap materials were used to paint alone in spare time without anyone knowing. However, after that day, I bought professional paints and canvases and began painting most of the time.

When I paint, I try to immerse myself in a quiet space alone. When I enter that stage of immersion, I connect and separate the many things I want to hold strongly among the many things I have accumulated in my head so far. After that process I get something that connects. It is sketched, modified, moved to canvas, and painted with a brush, other tools, or hand with acrylic paint or other materials.

I have a strong sense of immersion and a pleasure when I imagine an idea.
To imagine an idea, I have to feel pleasant. If I'm too sad or depressed, I'm in a slump and can't start. I get rid of standards, be generous and pursue childlike pleasures to escape oppression and framing. But it doesn't just mean the idea of a pleasant subject. Joy is the key to opening the door, but once I enter it, I feel all my emotions, memories, thoughts, intuition, etc. It uses a lot of energy, captures the moment, connects and separates it. When I’m thinking of an idea that time makes me feel that I’m alive.
After the idea is finished, I begin to implement on canvas. I feel good if it goes well as intended, but I worry a lot if it doesn't go well as intended. After all that process, I feel positive about myself when one piece is completed. It supports my life.

My sensitivity and intuition are the important factors that make the idea of my painting. Ever since I was young, I have loved to feel sensitive and intuitive about things that are invisible. Those tendencies helped me imagine, and became the personality of my paintings.

I liked to imagine and paint with intuition. I just liked to paint with my own personality. So I didn't have the courage to show others. My parents didn't like me painting, they wanted me to have another job. They wanted me to be more emotionally strong. They were conventional people. But I was a child who felt sensitive and hated convention. When I was exposed to a lot of people and a lot of situations, I was confused and lost because of a lot of stimulation. So even now, I usually meet a few people and prefer to live in isolation for my artistic mental activity.
My desire for my painting is bordering on instinct. I want my paintings to inspire many people. So after I die, I want to be inspired by the work of an artist who tries to leave creative pictures behind.

I'm just an artist who wants to keep painting. I have a great affection for all my paintings, but I don't think I'm successful now. So honestly, I have nothing to advise to new designers.
I spend almost all my time painting in my isolated space in my own way. So practical advice, such as curator, gallery, and mechanical system of the a'design award & competition was more important to me than anything else.

I really appreciate you telling me that I succeeded as a designer. But I'm not an artist enough to give advice or suggestions to anyone. I’m just an artist who I imagine creatively and enjoy drawing it.

I arrive at the studio at 7 a.m. And I clean up a little bit and drink coffee looking out of the window.
I paint in the morning and do miscellaneous things in the afternoon. And I paint again.
At the end of the day, I encounter various contents such as books, movies, and general news.
To be honest, thinking and drawing ideas in my own way makes me the happiest and most excited. So sometimes I just want to keep drawing.

For my ingenuity I tend to avoid looking at other people's paintings or designs. I want to keep making my own designs with creativity. I draw inspiration from small and varied things. These days, I enjoy watching news and reality contents.

In my case, when the painting is unique and the message is delivered well, I am satisfied with my painting. But in general, when I encounter the design of a product, I think it is a good design if it fits the purpose of use and is convenient.

In my case, when the painting is unique and the message is delivered well, I am satisfied with my painting. But in general, when I encounter the design of a product, I think it is a good design if it fits the purpose of use and is convenient.

I'm proud and special about most of the works except a few. Every moment I draw those pictures, I put in a lot of creative effort. Of course, I feel that the quality of the painting improves over time.

I don't have a favorite architect, artist, designer. I just admire and like most of the creators.

I think and paint ideas in a very quiet state. I like isolated life and I hate conventional things. The place where my studio is is clean and beautiful. There are great design buildings, streets and parks here. When I need a rest, I walk in the park and on the street. I feel respected because of beautiful, modern and natural design of my surroundings. It really refreshes me and helps me create artwork.

I like to work alone in isolation. However, when choosing a business partner, the dominant person is not preferred. I don't want a partner who can be suppressed to my creativity or mental activity. My creativity comes from a free, unbridled imagination. Therefore, we need a partner who can protect it.
I like partners who are fair, cooperative and can keep their economic promises.

I was only engaged in painting myself in isolation. Although I have tried to paint pictures that inspire many, I regret to say that I have not made a philanthropic contribution to society. But I have great respect and gratitude for people who do those things. Before painting, I served society with other occupations.

First of all, I am truly grateful that the design award recognized the value of my art. They returned detailed feedback on what I described. It has improved my skills to explain my paintings a lot, and I felt various feeling like traveling.
I am given the opportunity to promote my paintings and designs to many countries because the Awards are prestigious worldwide. That means that my art can be used in a variety of areas beyond the realm of pure art.
Until now, I've had a feeling of happiness that I’ve been painting which is my favorite hobby but at the same time anxiety to uncertainty about my future. But by winning this award this time, I have more confidence in my future.

I wanted to express my ideas in a creative way when I realized them in pictures. When expressed in a creative way, my message is delivered well, and it gives me satisfaction. So I did my best to make a creative design.

For the time being, I intend to keep this original work. However, I will find a way to use the design image for the product.

It took me about two weeks to come up with the design.

The inspiration made this work. I prefer to be inspired, create a work, and then use it to apply it to a product.

This design is not yet being produced or used by another company. I hope my work will be used in a way that rents images.

I wanted to express various emotions in confrontation and harmony.

There is no particularly affected design or architect.

It is a collector who wants original painting, a company that uses pictorial images for goods, and the end consumer who buys the goods.

This design is an intuitive inspiration. Therefore, it is not easy to understand the message after seeing the picture for the first time, and it can be seen from a different perspective. It rather attracts the viewer's attention.

When I tried to draw this picture, I made the name confrontation and harmony. But when the picture was finished, I wanted an easier and more intuitive name. That is the Go Together. God Together has a message that it is confrontational but needs to go together.

I expressed this picture with acrylic paint on the canvas.

The creative representation of the composition and objects is unique.

I did it alone from beginning to end.

It was only done with acrylic painting.

I conceived this design solely by imagination and inspiration. There was no data or analysis study.

I thought a lot about expressing the two opposing groups in a new and unique way. And I also thought about which painting technique to apply.

I submitted my proposal to the international design competition with the recommendation of design officials.

When imagining a new and unique design, it further developed a way of inducing immersion.

Before this contest, I was just an artist who painted intuitively imagined things. However, by submitting to the contest this time, I learned the skills of analyzing and explaining my paintings. I appreciate to a’design award & competition about that.

I am interested in humans and I like to imagine and express it in pictures.
I just thought it was a favorite thing to do. I didn't think it would be a job, so I did a lot of other things. But no job gave me satisfaction and happiness. So finally, I decided to become a painter. Now I've found my true self and I'm happy.

One day I decided to quit other things and become a painter. That is 100 percent my decision.

I want to paint a picture that is instinctive, intuitive, unreasonable and multiple.

I am not a legendary designer. I'm in a position to learn a lot.

I think a good designer is a person who can design for practical purposes. I think a good designer is someone who can continue to design with originality, in addition to being able to do practical design.

I think creativity is the factor that makes a good design a really good design.

It increases the quality of people's lives. It can also give fresh impetus to people's brains, and it makes them feel good.

I want to simultaneously express the meanings of different views and exist the relationship of various creatures that can be feel between instinct including reason, consciousness that have unconsciousness, ego and without ego
I want to draw for people who like creative paintings.

I want to paint everything in my imagination for the rest of my life. That is my dream project.

It's imagination. When I think of the idea of painting, I concentrate strongly and try to eliminate all oppression. That makes the imagination richer.

I am impressed when I see a lot of great designs. But there is no designer who inspired me particularly.

Whenever I see a design with original or practical elements, I love it and admire the designer.

I think most of my paintings are great. Because I can find something creative and unique in my paintings.

In my case, every day I try. I try to think and express ideas every day.

I think I'll have another creative, solitary job.

I think a design is to make detailed drawings of something that has a practical purpose. But the design for me is a reflection of creative thinking.

It's my family who gave me the greatest support for being an artist.

It's a belief in me.

That is the economic part.

This is a difficult part for me, too. These days, I expose my work through SNS.

I will make artwork with various topics.

I don't have a final goal. Just for the rest of the time, I'll repeat imagining, expressing. That's my instinct.

I'm a normal painter, but I think people would expect such an artist or designer to inspire the world.

Good design makes the world more convenient and beautiful. It also inspires and changes people.

I'm working on a work about ideal and reality.

I can't choose just one. I like the majority of my work.

I hope there will be many areas where the design will be used.

I predict that the design needed in the virtual world will increase.

It takes a month to a few months.

The first step in a design project is to imagine and come up with ideas.

Life is short, art is long.

I think design sets the trend.

Technology makes the expression of design more precise.

I'm more like an artist than a designer. So, I draw and take pictures with acrylic on canvas. That's how I apply my paintings to design products.

It plays an important role in determining the atmosphere of design.

No, I hope they understand in their own way.

I admire the creativity and ability of the person who made the design.

I think an open partner is ideal for each other's abilities to be exercised. But I prefer design alone to co-design.

I wasn't influenced by my art while interacting with someone.

I usually read a lot of reality books. It helps me imagine the design a lot.

I imagine and paint every day.

I want to meet artists and scientists with special creativity.

I think awards have a lot of influence on recognition. It's really important especially to me.

My favorite color is blue green, my favorite place is my studio, my favorite season is spring, what I like is my painting, and there are so many brands I like.

I want to tell you about the tough experience of a’design award. I sign up for the contest, write down the items required by this award, and the verification system provided by award checked my submission. The verification system is really sharp and a warning sign came out if there is anything lacking. After many revisions, I was able to receive the result of 100% clearing from the verification system. The process was really hard for me who had only painted. Whenever I passed the submissions that were required by the Awards, I was truly pleased. The processes were difficult, but they were good memories and enjoyable experiences.

I drink coffee every morning and paint all morning. Drawing is the most enjoyable thing for me. So there's no need to motivate me in particular. But I can't rest because I want to express everything I imagined.

I never thought I'd be a painter when I was a kid.

I predict. Humans will live in a virtual world and more than that. It will be also possible to live on other planets in the universe. It will naturally coexist with clones and AI robots. It will be predicted that wars with robots will also occur frequently.

I really hate exposing my face or personal information. I just want my drawing to be known. I want to be understood by fans.

My studio is in Korea. There is a space for displaying my paintings and a space for drawing. I work alone in my studio.

For me, design is a new connection. It inspires me and makes me alive.

I like to express the emotions and thoughts felt by the dynamics and creative beings that occur in various situations and connections.

I like almost all designs. It's hard for me to choose.

I haven't designed anything for the company yet. So far, I have created original works for sale.

I like to express in acrylic.

I explode with creative thoughts when I'm really having fun. At the maximum of the pleasure, I become deeply immersed and the things that wander in my head are clearly connected.

I think it is important to connect and separate from various and new perspectives.

I feel like I’m alive.

When I pass the stage of thinking and express it with pictures, I feel that my mind is rather calm. It seems to be a sense of relief that I am drawing a picture. Of course, I worry a lot when expressing or changing detailed parts and sometimes I suffer if things don't go the way I thought.

My results were successful when the stage of imagining the design was the most important and the imagination was really good.

I think it is important that creative ideas and perspectives.

It is a creative inspiration.

It is expected that design will be applied to virtual worlds in the future.

The final exhibition was held in Incheon, South Korea from Jan 25 to Feb 7, 2021. My artworks will be exhibited at collabohaus dosan in Seoul in April 2022. and at the Louvre in Paris in September 2022.

I get the inspiration of design from everything but I'm particularly interested in people. So I look at things that show human nature or relationships and think about them a lot.

My painting is pure, unreasonable and expresses multiple meanings. The dynamic of a young feeling holds energy just before eruption. A black line means a frame and no frame, and both finite and infinite.

I am living in Korea. Although Korean culture influences my art world, it’s not a big impact to me. However, it is a great advantage that freedom of creation and presentation are guaranteed. There is no shortcomings.

I haven't worked with a company so far. I just worked on selling pictures. However, I look forward to working with the company in the future.

I think trust between companies and designers is the most important.

There is a moment in which the things that wander in my head are connected creatively and meaningfully when I sit quietly in my space and enter the stage of immersion and joy before drawing the ideas of the painting.

Table and chair, watch, sofa, TV, vacuum cleaner.

I paint in the morning, take a walk in the afternoon, think about the idea of the painting, and do other tasks. In the evening, I paint again or do various activities.

I haven't been long since I published a painting to the world. So I have so much to learn as an artist.

I'm an artist who has a strong point in being creative. I look forward to my art being used in practical products. However, if I become a professional designer, I have to consider practical purposes. Disadvantages is that it can limit designers, but advantages can benefit many users with their design.

Creativity.

Take a time to think of ideas every day, and realize them. That is the most important skill.

It has various tools for drawing acrylic paintings.

Every morning at 7am I go to my studio, draw pictures, think of ideas and go home at 7pm. Stay isolated as much as possible so as not to interfere with mental activity.

Each art work has different time to finish. it takes two or three weeks for the short one and months for the long one.

I'm asked a lot about how to think of an idea.

I had so many jobs. Everything I experienced is important because it's had a lot of influence on my painting now.

They are art collectors.

I like to express my ideas with acrylic paint. It has the property of drying quickly, making it advantageous to add ideas that pop into my head.

I have the most important plan to keep painting. The next plan is to have an exhibition at the gallery. And if I have a chance, I want to participate in various art fairs.

I'm not working as a team, I'm doing the whole process of drawing from the beginning.

Now I'm painting a picture of the connection between past and present life and life after death.

People usually contact me via e-mail.

I expressed that through other questions.

My emphasis on the anatomical elements of hand and foot in this work is a symbol of different paths and directions.The hand symbolizes 'touch.' It contains contact with others, and a willingness to connect. This assignment of several hands and feet to the living things in the painting is the possibility that an individual can have multiple perspectives and directions.In particular, two opposing groups are pointing in different directions within the structures facing each other, but in the end, it means one essential relationship. This is also true in human society. We are oriented in different directions, but on a deep level, we are interconnected. This is the essential reason why I used these elements.

My three-dimensional bending technique is the result of progressive development in the process of repeated experiments, observations, and failures. It started from simply wanting to break away from being two-dimensional. I explored new forms by handling paints and acrylic additives with my own hands. I focused on creating a three-dimensional shape by carefully observing and controlling the material itself. Building a frame and creating a certain shape were time-consuming and energy-consuming tasks.

This work begins with a structure in which two groups face each other. From the beginning, this structure went beyond simple visual contrast and focused on deliberately designing opposing and connected states. Tension and harmony, conflict and healing, isolation and solidarity exist simultaneously in the arrangement.The two groups in the work visually embody this very ironic truth: a deliberately opposed, but inevitably a journey to one.This strong spatial arrangement stems from a deep reflection on human existence. Through this work, I wanted to convey the message that we must confront and collide, but overcome confrontation and conflict and move in the same direction.

I created this by moving the boundaries between consciousness and unconsciousness through this work. Human connections and conflicts work deeply in the unconscious for the most part. On the surface, it is difficult to recognize, but in reality, things like fear, deficiency, memory, and hurt have an effect. I also have an unconscious desire to run away when it is difficult to endure confrontation, but I have faced many inevitable situations. And it may be due to the instinct that overcoming confrontation and conflict, existing in the same place, and working together can be more advantageous for survival because everything is connected in the Earth and the universe.

Water, expressed in sky blue at the bottom of this painting is not just a background or decoration. It is a symbol of flow and change. In this way, water suggests the possibility that different beings can ultimately flow in one direction even in conflict. Through this image of water, I wanted to convey the message of 'moving forward together' in relationships between human relations and groups.Ultimately, this water is related to the title ‘Go Together’. It doesn't exist like an isolated island, but it contains a fateful community that all of us must influence each other in some way, move together, and eventually move toward the same future.

What I hope to achieve through this work is for the audience, when viewing it, to recall their own experiences within the structure of conflict presented in the piece, and to reconsider the inevitable confrontations and the structure itself.Go Together painting is composed of structures that face each other without turning their backs on each other, and it is a fateful connection. This means that recognizing and accepting each other's existence, and trying and working together to solve and overcome problems, reduce the time for confrontation, and the two groups are better able to survive. This is because the two groups are connected, and they are a doomed community.The same goes for the social divisions we face. I want to show the importance of finding the possibility of coexistence, not the perfect agreement.

Technically, I used Gesso, acrylic paint, and glossy varnish at the end. These materials act as a means to reveal the message of the work more intensely.Acrylic paint dries quickly, and has the property of containing strong and vivid colors. Acrylic paint is suitable for showing the improvisation and intuition of emotions and things that can be converted in a moment. Finally, the glossy varnish protects the painting by covering the surface, but at the same time reflects and glitters light, it does not feel stationary but shows wave-like flexibility. This is because a flexible attitude is important when it comes to overcoming confrontations and moving forward together. I wanted to express it in the painting as well.

My work is done in a pleasant calmness within me, regardless of external circumstances. Imagining there is the starting point of my creation. It’s a way to sensuously experience the subtle dynamics of relationships.In modern society, human relationships are very complex and diverse. It is difficult to understand what lies behind the words or actions that appear on the surface. I want to feel that invisible structure intuitively.This approach allows me to get closer to the essence of human instinct and relationships. I find the essence of many things I have experienced, and I keep coming up with visual images of them.This work, ‘Go Together’, was also created through that process. I imagined two opposing groups facing each other and a unique and powerful flow of connection between them.

Go Together Painting is visually expressed instinct and reason, confrontation and harmony. 1. Two groups placed on either side: two groups placed on both ends of the screen face each other and visualize opposing energy. This configuration symbolizes conflict, but at the same time open the possibility of dialogue and connection. 2. Connection Element: The connection element that connects the two groups is a symbol for coexistence and overcoming conflict. It is not linear but organic, which represents the complexity of human relationships.3. Water image below: The sky blue water flowing at the bottom of the painting suggests the possibility that different beings can eventually flow in one direction even in conflict.