Min Jin Kook

Artist Statement

My work explores the geometry of space, the intensity of color, and the shifting nature ofmemory. Through curiosity and reflection, I translate unfamiliar environments into abstracted forms that echo my lived experiences. Sculptural shapes, vibrant palettes, and fragmented compositions come together to reconstruct places I’ve encountered—some daily, others only in fleeting moments. By untangling these spatial memories, I consider how environments shape us, and how each of us interprets the same space differently through recollection, storytelling,and visual archive.

I draw from both landscapes and cityscapes, gathering impressions of vast natural terrains and dense architectural surroundings. Nature’s precarious expanses and the surreal verticality of cities offer contrasting yet equally powerful sensations. I assemble these fragments into collaged compositions that often contain multiple perspectives, reflecting the immersive, all‑around experience of moving through space.

My background in architectural design deeply informs this process. Elements such as columns, windows, and brick patterns appear throughout my paintings, grounding the abstract with a sense of familiarity. These components—often pulled from unrelated contexts—create tension, resulting in environments that feel both recognizable and unsettling. Larger sculptural forms introduce simplicity and contrast, drawing on ideas described by the author of the book,“Overlay”, Lucy R. Lippard, about universal shapes as collective human memory. Pyramids, circles, and linear forms become anchors for viewers, prompting a quiet question: Have I been here before?

Ultimately, my work is an exploration of how we navigate, remember, and reinterpret the the spaces that surround us. Through abstraction, I invite viewers to reconsider their own spatial memories othe spaces that surround us. I invite viewers to reconsider their own spatial memories and the ways in which place becomes personal.  

www.MinJinKook.com