"Prayer of A Cicada" Painting

HyunJung Kim (金賢靜) HyunJung Kim is a Korean artist whose work bridges traditional East Asian painting and contemporary psychological introspection. Originally trained as an actress, she brought her understanding of performance and role-play into her artistic practice, transforming personal healing through psychological counseling into a groundbreaking visual language. Her recurring motifs—Lala (랄라), a doll representing the inner child, and the dragonfly, a symbol of memory and fleeting time—serve as mirrors of the self and vehicles for emotional transformation. Drawing on her theatrical background, Kim uses these characters to perform and explore multiple layers of identity on canvas, creating what art historian Peng Feng describes as "depiction and performance" merged into one. Her technique merges the delicacy of gongbi (fine brushwork) with bold compositions reminiscent of Qi Baishi and Li Keran. Kim developed innovative methods including "ssangcheung" (double-layer painting on hanji and silk) and "hwaju-subo" (畫主繡補, painting-led, embroidery-enhanced), where she incorporates embroidery directly into silk paintings, pushing the boundaries of traditional mediums. By combining symbolism, self-reflection, and performative role-play rooted in her acting career, her work forms a new kind of 21st-century literati painting—xin wenrenhua—garnering attention from art historians and collectors across Asia. In 2014, Kim participated in a major three-artist exhibition at Today Art Museum in Beijing alongside legendary media artist Nam June Paik. Her works are held in institutional and private collections including LS Group and Donghaeng Lottery in Korea.