Funeral Clothes for the Women

A myriad of delicate materials give voice to this Korean artist’s interrogative, historically-infused pieces. Exhibited across the United Kingdom,
China, and Korea, her most recent projects portray the emotional fragility of the lives of ‘comfort women’ used as sex slaves during the Second World War
and touch on issues associated with trauma, memory, and human frailty.
An exploration of emotions and memories that struggle to find their voice, Kim articulates an arresting visual language through this garment
of ghostly dimensions. Inspired by the Korean funeral attire worn by the deceased before being interred, Kim weaves her own piece using fine, hair-like monofilaments to create an ethereal effect.
By referencing the traditional vernacular associated with loss, the garment becomes a whispered testimony to the emotional vulnerability of Korea’s ‘comfort women’ – reeling their invisible trauma
into the tangible realm.