In my earliest glassworks I was concerned with the meeting points between the illusory and the real, which can be represented through drawing and sculptural works respectively. I was curious about relationship between and combination of two-dimensional and three-dimensional representations of objects. I was fascinated by the possibilities of rearranging objects and ideas through the Cubist perspective.

Afterwards, I tried to resolve within my works, in irregular and cubistic ways, the essentially philosophical questions about the deaths of beloved people, about me living a daily life yearning for concrete nature but at the same time thinking abstractly. Often times, I find that objects in everyday life like apples, bottles, cups, bowls, and houses are metaphors through which the duality of glass can be naturally represented. I found the duality of glass very similar to the two-sidedness that can be found in men and natural phenomena. Visible world and Invisible world, Temporariness and Eternity, Filling and Emptying, Light and Darkness, Strong and Weak, these two opposing characteristics are natural motifs for representations with glass that has transparency and translucency at the same time. I realize that these two opposing forces are Yin and Yang in Oriental philosophy. This philosophy teaches that the harmony between two opposing forces makes objects and people perfect and beautiful.

I focused on making a series of houses since 2003 when my mom and dad passed away.

The glass house where I live is the middle space between heaven and earth. Therefore, the house always has to be natural and contains the meanings of nature.’

I have created many houses for some time: some with transparency and openness which allow the penetration into the inside; others with opaqueness and secrecy which refuse the penetration.  Thus the house series has been metaphorical.  It might be the collision of the subconscious, which wants not to be revealed, and the conscious, which wants to confide.

My glass feathers are meant to stand out on the land and the sky, horizontally and vertically, as the piles of accumulated efforts and struggles of existence. In fact, I started to see the reality of the air-the solidity of void-after I had spent some time making more than thousands of glass feathers. With own solidity and order for their presence respectively, they penetrate into each other, melting as one sometimes. On the other hand, remaining emptiness in the disappeared space deepens the traces of the existence ironically. Whether houses remain as one penetrating into each other, or illusion and reality coexist, they are not one and can’t be, either. The glass feathers represent my understanding of and reconciliation with death, freedom from restraints and a door to the closed, invisible world.

Doors have the contradictory function for openness and closeness at the same time.

Glass has the same contradiction; materiality of glass is very similar to a blurred image in the transparent water or opacity of material.  As one reaches out one’s arm to grab something in the water without success, the nature of a thing beyond the door may be different from our expectation before opening the door. It may be clearer or ambiguous.

Education

1989 Pilchuck Glass School
1989 B.F.A, Rhode Island School of Design (Glass)
1987 M.A.E, Rhode Island School of Design (Education)
1983 M.F.A, Hong-ik University (Ceramics)
1981 B.F.A, Hong-ik University (Ceramics)

Solo Exhibitions

2020-21 “lightness” Galerie b, Badenbaden, Germany
2016 “Dear Life”, Gallery Sklo, Seoul, Korea
2014 “Circle, Square”, Sikijang, Seoul, Korea
2014 “Circle, Square”, Gallery Le Beige, Seoul, Korea
2013 “Vessels”, Sikijang, Seoul, Korea
2012 “Glass Feather”, Gallery Sejul, Seoul, Korea
2009 “Kim, Ki-Ra Glass Show”, Damum, Budang, Korea
2008 “Glass Art & Living Object Story”, S Gallery, Misari, Korea
2007 “Ki-Ra’s Glass Vessels”, Seomi & Tuus, Seoul, Korea
2003 “Kim, Ki-Ra Glass Show”, Craft-House, Seoul, Korea
2003 “Kim, Ki-Ra Glass Show”, Seomi Art, Seoul, Korea
1999 “Kim, Ki-Ra Glass Show”, Art Museum of France In, Kangwha, Korea
1997 “Kim, Ki-Ra Glass Show”, Yemac Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1996 “Kim, Ki-Ra Glass Show”, Yemac Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1991 “Kim, Ki-Ra Glass Show”, Gallery Bing, Seoul, Korea
1989 “Kim, Ki-Ra Glass Show”, Growrich Gallery, Seoul, Korea

Selected Group Exhibitions

2020-2019 “Collect”, wanmul, London, England
2020 “Evolution in Korean Contemporary Glass 2020”, Cheonan, Korea
2018 “Toyama International Glass Exhibition 2018”, Toyama Glass Museum, Toyama, Japan
2018 “viewing the Other”, Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung, Munchen, Germany
2017-2019 “Korea Galleries Art Fair” Gallery Sklo, Seoul. Korea
2016-2017 “SOFA 1995”, Gallery Sklo, Chicago, USA
2016 “Contemporary Glass-Mold”, Sukdang Art Museum, Busan, Korea
2015 “Glass, Journey to Gyeong-Ju”, Gyocheon glass studio, Gyeong-Ju, Korea
2015 “Fluid Dialogue between ROK & Japan”, Mac Art Museum, Daebudo, Korea
2015 “[Bowl] Korea-Sweden Contemporary Craft Exhibition”, Vogoze, Seoul, Korea
2015 “Daily Life”, Gallery Ilsang, Seoul, Korea
2014 “We are working now”, Chuncheon City Museum, Chuncheon, Korea
2014 “Behind Door”, Mac Art Museum, Daebudo, Korea
2014 “Tent London”, London, UK
2014 “From Sand”, Jigu Sang Hoe, Jeju, Korea
2013 “10 Years”, Gallery Sklo, Seoul, Korea
2013 “Art Stage Singapore 2013”, Koru Contemporary Art, Singapore
2012 “Contemporary Craft”, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary, Gwacheon, Korea
2012 “Dreaming Hands”, Gallery Wooduk, Seoul, Korea
2012 “Fine Art Asia”, Koru Contemporary Art, Hong Kong
2012 “Seoul Open Art Fair”, Gallery Sklo, COEX, Seoul, Korea
2011 “CeraMix GLASSART AWARDS 2011”, CeraMix Creative Center, Icheon, Korea
2011 “The Future of Korean Glass Formative Arts”, Museum of Applied Art Belgrade, Serbia
2010 “Lyric Space”, Chiwoo Craft Museum, Seoul, Korea
2010 “Hot & Cold-Soul Maker”, Mokkumto Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2010 “Glassware I-Clearness”, Yido, Seoul, Korea
2009 “The Seoul Art Exhibition 2009”, Seoul City Museum, Seoul, Korea
2009 “3 Nations: Asian Contemporary Glass Art”, Gallery Sklo, Seoul, Koru Gallery, Hong Kong
2008 “Beautiful Life with Ceramics & Crafts”, Yeoju, Korea
2008 “Glass-Summer Glass”, Craft house, Seoul, Korea
2007 “2007 Glass Project”, Vit Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2006 “5199 miles Journey”, SIU Univ. Museum, Baseline Gallery, Pilchuck glass auction USA
2005 “From Korea_function & object d’art”, Tokyo, Paris, New York
2005 “World glass Today”, Aptos Cruz Gallery, Adelaide, Australia
2005 “Water drops”, Gainro, Seoul, Korea
2004 “The International Exhibition of Glass Kanazawa 2004”, Notojima Glass Museum, Japan
2004 “Korean Craft 2004”, Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, Korea
2004 “New Glass Review 25”, Corning, USA
2003 “The Beautiful Rainbow Arisen In Mongolian Steppe”, Mongol Art Museum
2003 “International Glass Collectors Exhibition”, Global Art Venue, Seattle, U.S.A
2003 “Morning Calm & Lake Effect”, NTID Dyer Arts Center, Rochester, U.S.A
2002 “Foundations of Gold”, Melbourne, Manila, Mumbai, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore
2001 “Hsinchu International Glass Art Festival”, Hsinchu, Taiwan
2001 “An Exhibition of Eight Leading Japanese and Korean Artists”,
Fujiyoshita Cultural Center, Japan
2001 “Korean Glass Show”, Corning, USA
1999 “’99 Hsinchu International Glass Art Festival”, Hsinchu, Taiwan
1999 “Glass’99 in Japan, Odaku Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
1999 “Jutta Cunny Memorial Award”, Germany
1998 “New Glass Review 19”, Corning, USA
1997 “’97 Hsinchu International Glass Art Festival”, Hsinchu, Taiwan
1997 “Seoul and Fuji: The Horizontal and vertical lines”, Ilmin Art Museum, Seoul, Korea
1995 “SOFA 1995”, Habatat Galleries, Chicago, USA
1995 “The 23rd Annual International Glass Invitational”, Habatat Galleries, Pontiac, USA
1995 “New Glass Review 16”, Corning, USA
1994 “World Glass Now’94”, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Japan
1993–2006 “Korean Glass Show”, Seoul, Gwangju, Busan, Japan, Australia
1990 “New Glass Review 11”, Corning, USA
1987 “American Craft Council Show”, W. Springfield, USA

Selected Professional Experiences

1999-2021 Head of Glass Studio, Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea
2019 Invited speaker, Shanghai Polytechnic University, Shanghai, China
2015 Instructor, Corning Museum of Glass Studio, USA
2013 Instructor, Corning Museum of Glass Studio, USA
2010 Instructor, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, USA
2009 Juror, Korea Art Competition, Seoul, Korea
2008 Invited Speaker, 21 Niijima International Glass Art Festival, Niijima, Japan
2007 Juror, Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2007, Cheongju, Korea
2005-09 Glass Art Society Board of Directors
2005 Juror, 24th Korea Art Competition, Seoul, Korea
2005 Invited speaker, GAS Conference, Adelaide, Australia
2000-01 Committee Member, Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2001, Korea
2000 Foundations of Gold Cultural Exchange Program, Melbourne, Australia
1996 Invited Instructor, Glass Department, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, USA
1995 Glass Workshop & Lecture, Perth, Australia
1995 Invited Speaker, Ausglass Conference, Adelaide, Australia
1994 Invited Speaker, Gas Conference, Oakland, USA
1990-96 Glass Workshop Coordinator & Instructor

Collections

Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung, Munchen, Germany
Seoul Craft Museum, Seoul, Korea
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea
Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea
FOMA (Forms Of Motors and Arts), Goyang, Korea
Gallery Sklo, Seoul, Korea
Mokkumto Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Cheongju Craft Museum, Cheongju, Korea
Hallym University Library, Chuncheon, Korea
Chuncheon Diocese, Chuncheon, Korea
Melbourn City Council, Melbourn, Australia
Bullseye glass, Portland, USA
Nippon All Airways, Tokyo, Japan

Publications

2009 ‘Architecture Glass with Digital’, Kookmin University
2003 ‘Working with Glass’, Arts Council Korea