Taeksang Kim

Kim Taek Sang has been experimenting with the diffusion, sedimentation, and layering of color for over three decades through the medium of water. His process is iterative—mixing trace amounts of pigment into water, pouring the solution onto a canvas laid flat, then allowing it to dry. Repeated dozens of times, this practice is both ascetic and curative; he has come to describe it as the aesthetics of care . This delicate layering of sediment on canvas creates subtle interstices that scatter light and permeate the surface with depth and density, evoking nature's own palette of serene and understated hues. Kim describes his creations as dàamhwa (淡畵 - dàam painting ), where dàam carries meanings of clear, delicate, faint, or thin in tint . Kim's earliest works in the early 1990s contained commentaries on socio-political issues, but he experienced an artistic turning point when he was captivated by the prismatic waters of the Yellowstone Caldera. Through this encounter, he began incorporating natural elements—water, air, light, and gravity—into his studio practice, developing a distinctive visual language that bridges materiality and the senses, concept and nature. Kim's works avoid overt contrasts, favoring elusive similarities, subtle oscillations, and minute pulses of light. While his work is discussed within the lineage of Dansaekhwa, his practice stands apart, reflecting a deeply personal exploration of the relationships between nature, humanity, medium, and perception. Kim holds a B.F.A. in Painting from Chungang University and an M.F.A. in Western Painting from Hongik University. His works are included in the collections of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Korea; Kumho Museum of Art; Leeum Museum of Art; and Suwon I'Park Museum of Art. Meister-Painter of Lig : 김택상 담화 작가로서 김택상 회화의 본질 얼핏 보면, 김택상의 작품들은 Optical Art 의 20세기 최고의 대가 Joseph Albers의 “Homage to Square” 연작들을 연상시키고 또 독일의 색채화의 대가인 Gotthard Graubner의 작품들도 연상시킨다.