All productsMiro Kang
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Introduction to the Artist and Artwork
Can you share an overview of your artistic journey and the main ideas or themes that define your work?
I majored in Fiber Arts at Ewha Womans University in Korea and earned my Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) at Long Island University in New York. Since starting my career as an artist in New York, I have been focusing on abstract expressions of emotion. Through various materials, optical illusion techniques, and the interplay of light, I seek to convey and express my emotions in an authentic way. Abstract emotions are a fusion of conscious experiences—awareness, behavior, thoughts, and feelings—triggered by external stimuli. These expressions serve as a language of the mind, making emotions more tangible and communicable. In life, experiences, memories, and emotions are intangible and conceptual. My goal is to visualize and bring to life things that do not exist as physical objects. Through metaphor, I express the passage of time and the emotions I have experienced, transcending singular moments. The use of color, primitive straight lines, and transformed shapes reflects different emotional states and experiences, evolving through my work.
Light and Color
Light and color seem to play a big role in your art. How do they help you express emotions or tell a story?
Rather than simply reproducing reality, my use of light and color transforms the primary emotion—nothingness—into something meaningful. I deconstruct the language of emotions, both my own and those of others, and visually reconstruct them. In doing so, emotions that once existed within me take on new forms, manifesting as light and color in my artwork. Light and color are inseparable. In nature, color exists because of light, and in my work, light derives its meaning from color. Through repeated painting and drying, layers build upon each other, intertwining through light—just as layers of time accumulate in our lives. Each color overlaps, forming new hues while maintaining its individuality. This interplay mirrors how we influence and shape one another, much like the relationships between materials, nature, society, and human connections. By combining light and color, I create immersive environments that evoke emotions and allow viewers to connect with their own memories and reflections.
Windows of Emotions
Your slate panels are like "windows of emotions." What inspired you to use these materials, and how do they connect to your ideas?
Doors and windows are not just architectural elements; they divide and connect spaces, creating new experiences. Doors enable transitions between spaces, while windows facilitate communication between the interior and exterior. By designing windows and doors with slate panels, I create a way to gaze into, ventilate, and connect with my inner emotional space—a place that is both transparent and strong. As a child, my father worked in a factory, and I grew up surrounded by similar industrial buildings. These structures were made of thick, opaque slate, often windowless or dimly lit. Before I examined my emotional state, I envisioned it as a dark and impenetrable space. To bring light into this inner world, I use solid aluminum and transparent slate, enhanced with color and illumination.
Shifting Perspectives
The colors and shapes in your work change depending on where the viewer stands. Why is this shifting perspective important to your art?
I explore the fluidity of emotions by capturing the complexity of human experiences—happiness, anxiety, love, understanding, compassion, and sadness. The colors in my work shift depending on the viewer’s position, reflecting the transient nature of memory and the layered complexity of personal connections. The same experience can evoke different emotions depending on our perspective. Relativity allows us to interpret emotions and experiences uniquely. Just as colors appear different depending on the angle from which they are viewed, emotions and memories are shaped by individual perception. This variation enables viewers to connect with my work in a deeply personal way, influenced by their own experiences and emotions.
Emotions and Memories
Your art explores emotions and memories. How do you turn these personal feelings into the shapes and colors we see in your work?
Emotions flow. They do not remain static but evolve, sometimes transforming into something entirely new. Like endlessly shifting waves, slate mirrors flexible curves, reflecting how my emotions adapt to the passage of time. As time passes, emotions fade, and even the most intense moments lose their clarity. I feel both compassion and a sense of loss for these fleeting emotions. Rather than trying to hold onto them, I envision my work as a space that embraces all emotions with warmth and acceptance.