After graduating from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, artist Dan-ahKim has quietly been carving out quite a solid little career forherself in the realms of design, film, television, illustration and ofcourse fine art.  Her delicate, almost whimsical line work juxtaposesperfectly against the sobering and earnest truths constantly beingrevealed in each of the images creates.  She has already shown in ahandful of incredible galleries in New York, California and Chicago,which include all of the Giant Robot galleries, Thinkspace, Project Gallery (now LeBasse Projects), DvA Gallery, Scion Space in LA and many others.  Having just opened her new solo exhibition at Metropolis Gallery,Ms. Kim was gracious enough to answer a few questions about where she'sbeen, what she's doing now and where she might be headed in the not sodistant future, before collapsing from all her recent hard work leadingup to the opening!

AMF: Before we talk aboutthe content in your work, I would like to discuss technique.  I haveseen you move pretty seamlessly between screen printing, paper cutting,sewing, drawing and of course painting.  Is there one that you prefer? Do you see your future work moving towards one of these mediums, orwill it be an even more intense mix of them all?

KIM:It began as just a way to experiment before settling on a specific wayof working, but I found that using all of the different mediums was agood way to keep myself interested in a piece and working through itsproblems.  I love the texture the mixed media gives, butas for a favorite, there’s nothing quite like the visceral satisfactionof putting paint color to a surface.  Most likely thoughthe future will be a more intense mix, I’d like to always tryexperimenting with new mediums so the work keeps evolving.

AMF:What is it about the use of these mediums that works so well for you,as opposed to, for example, simply putting oil on canvas?

KIM:If my attention starts to wane after drawing or painting details forhours, cutting paper and sewing refreshes things and lets me interactwith the piece differently.  Touching the piece with gluedpaper or poking holes into it with needles keeps me from feeling likeits too precious and makes me learn to work with mistakes. 

AMF:I see issues of individual freedom popping up a lot in your work.  Isthis correct, and if so, what drives you to speak about this topic sooften in your work?  What other issues and/or ideas are importantelements in your work?

KIM:It’s true, I’ve always dreamed about traveling the world, uninhibitedby responsibilities, money, time, or any sort of reality! Besides thatpersonal motivation though, I just think it is generally important thatpeople pursue their visions free of circumstance or what others maythink.  Another idea I use often is the elusiveness ofwhat could be called magic, some unseen force that people haveforgotten about but exists in nature, the greater universe, andrelationships.  Then there are the characters that pursue it, and the bravery and battles involved in doing so.  Havinga Tae Kwon Do master as a father and growing up in martial arts studiosaround a lot of fighting and a variety of weapons has infiltrated mywork a bit literally. 

AMF:You have told me before that your heritage is Korean. What role, ifany, does that fact play in your artmaking?  Were you born in Korea,and if so, what impact did moving to the United States have on you asan artist?

KIM:I was born in Seoul, moved to Mexico at age two, to the States at five,then continued moving towns every year or two until junior high.  It’sfun to think what might have become of my family if we’d stayed ineither Korea or Mexico, but having moved around so often definitelychanged us.  Creatively, not having a chance to make long lasting friendships probably made me find new ones in books and drawings. 

AMF:Many people have seen your videos along with your illustration, designand personal work. How do you see these things playing off each otherin your life as an artist?  Do you think a line still exists betweenwhat has, in the past, been called commercial and fine art?

KIM: It keeps me sane to work in film and make art during the year.  Working on film sets, collaborating with other people is so different from the lonelier experience of art making.  SometimesI consider giving one up to focus wholly on the other, but they alsofeed each other since there is so much to learn from both.  Whenmaking my own videos, I think of it as just another medium, and try toapproach it the same way I would with an art piece, narratively andaesthetically.  There has been so much crossover between commercial and fine art, labels don’t seem to matter much anymore.  Art has become much more accessible and people seem to appreciate good work no matter what it was meant for, which is great. 

AMF:Who are some of the artists working today that you admire?  Also, ifyou could collaborate with one artist who would it be and why?

KIM:I love and respect Kiki Smith and Louise Bourgeois, as well as loads ofyounger artists working today like James Jean or Mel Kadel.  HayaoMiyazaki is one of my greatest heroes so if I were able to work onsomething for him I’d dissolve into molecules of happiness.

AMF: Other than other artists, what aspects of life inspire you to create?   

KIM:There are so many fascinating stories out there, in history, endlesspossibilities; the drive to create and get them out is like a strangephenomenon that shouldn’t be avoided.  I suppose that’s what I mean by magic, something everyone’s got and has a different way of liberating it.

AMF:What did it feel like the first time you exhibited your work to thepublic?  How do you see the artworld today versus when you were juststarting out?

KIM: It was weird and lovely.  Weirdand a little uncomfortable since I couldn’t believe people would wantto see something I’d made, and lovely since it felt like reassurance tokeep pursuing it. The art world seems to be much more open andcommunity based than I’d expected.  There is a hugevariety of work and style, and rather than being closed off to youngartists starting out, there’s a lot of encouragement.  

AMF:I always ask this...have you ever created something and thought, thisis one of the most important things I will ever make?  Or, is what youare working on currently always the most important thing to you?

KIM: I’ll always hope that the most important thing I will ever make is still to come in the future!

AMF: You have exhibited your work in some terrific galleries, includingsolo shows with Giant Robot NY and Thinkspace. If the past is anyindication, your new solo opening at Metropolis Gallery is sure to be asuccess. Things seem to be going pretty well for you. What else do youhave cooking in the coming year or so that you can share with us?

KIM: It’s nice of you to say things seem to be going well.  That’s a total sham, I’m regularly a mess!  Anyhow, hopefully there will be more art making, film work, and traveling.  I’ve lived in New York for seven years now, which seems pretty long..