Phantom Reverie Painting

Yula Kim lives and works in London, UK. Her practice explores the profound connections between human cultures and the natural world, using birds as symbolic figures to reflect histories, identities, and the evolving relationship between nature and society. ​ Having lived across multiple continents—including Asia (South Korea, China), Polynesia (Hawai‘i), Africa (Uganda), and Europe (United Kingdom)—Yula draws upon her diverse experiences of ecosystems and societies. These global influences shape her artistic vision, deepening her exploration of the aesthetic and conceptual intersections between nature and human existence. ​ Her work has been exhibited in prestigious venues, including the Platinum Jubilee Collection at Kensington Council (RBKC), Tate Modern (2023), the Science Museum (2024), and Kingston Museum (2025). In 2023, her painting was selected to commemorate His Majesty’s Coronation and was digitally presented at Windsor Castle during the Coronation Concert. Her artworks are held in the Royal College of Art’s Special Collection Centre, the Science Museum’s CTC Project Hub, and private collections worldwide. ​ She holds an MA in Contemporary Art Practice from the Royal College of Art and an MA in Museums and Galleries in Education from University College London, both awarded with distinction. Her research on the conservation value of artistic and historical objects in biodiversity studies has been published through UCL IOE’s Crafting Sustainabilities Collective in 2024.