Sofer says: “The fair was being held in Werkraum Warteck and Kim was showing with his gallery High Art (Paris). After a full day at the fair, I walked into High Art’s space and was immediately drawn to Kim’s paintings. The works are fresh, unusual and compel you to want to know more. There is a cartoon element that draws you in, which immediately contends with a complex, sometimes gruesome scene that the artist has constructed to comment on social and political injustice and conflict amongst humanity. The ‘cute’ animals, each in a different state of dress or undress, skin or skeleton, reference the social hierarchy and the busy scenes often depict the ‘masses’ trying to continue their daily routines under the pressure of war, conflict or political injustice.”

Hun Kyu Kim credits his interest in global politics, especially the contemporary history of global conflicts, to his upbringing in South Korea in the late 80s when the country was gradually getting out of a strict political atmosphere.

He says: “Raised in the unstable political and cultural transition in Korea, I felt my adolescence was pretty harsh due to my sensitive personality as well as the strict social obstacles. Thus, since my early career as an artist, I have been eager to find out where the discomfort comes from and started to trace back Korea history, to find out that it is closely connected to huge global politics.

“I was able to be aware of differences between perspectives from diverse backgrounds, which made me perceive the bigger picture, getting out of ideological prison.”

Kim’s work is currently on display at the Seoul Museum of Art until October 25. He also has plans to have a solo exhibition in Paris in December.

He adds: “The [upcoming] show describes comparison between the properties of light and our history – how our history and ideology refract, reflect, disperse, scatter and interfere, just like a specimen collection in a natural history museum. It is one of my most ambitious plans and I hope many people visit the show and lose themselves in my chaotic paintings.”