Abnormal

Kim Hwan is 32 years old as he was born in 1991. When he started feeling his own identity, people looked at him strangely. He wanted to get out of those gazes, so he was eager for an ordinary life.

He underwent operations for whole body within three years. The only joy of being hospitalized after operation was to draw pictures on a sketchbook. Even though the drawings were no better than scribbles, his parents praised him. He mostly drew the landscape outside the window of her hospital room. That must be reflecting his longing for the world outside the hospital.

Looking for himself

Kim Hwan lived in Chuncheon until he became 20 years old. Even though he was qualified enough to enter the College of Fine Art in Kangwon National University, he decided to study one more year to enter another university because he thought he should enter an university far away from home in order to be independent from his parents. He needed to be physically independent to be psychologically independent, so he decided to enter Mokwon University in Daejeon.

In the middle of joyfully enjoying his school life, his peer students disappeared one after another. They joined the military service. After all the friends who used to help him disappeared, he felt inconvenience all of a sudden. Some senior students who returned to school joined the same school year, and they were passionate painters for painting. In this atmosphere, Kim Hwan also concentrated on his study. There was a professor Kim Hwan liked so much. He wanted to study more by following the professor, so he entered graduate school.

His peer students rented workrooms for reasonable price together with colleague artists and then accumulated their career experiences by applying for contests. The workrooms for cheap monthly rent had no convenient facilities, which was hard for him to approach. He came back down to earth after looking at himself who was gradually isolated.

On his pathway

Kim Hwan heard about a project called Art Lab Daejeon by Lee Ungno Museum, which supported young artists of Daejeon to hold an exhibition. He applied for the member of the first year of the project, and then he was selected. It became such a huge opportunity to Kim Hwan.

After that, he learnt about creative studio for disabled painters in Jamsil. He applied for it and became an artist in residence at his age of 29. He realized the great importance of information power to artists. His life has been a lot changed since he met with disabled artists in Jamsil. 

He has a desire to work as a professional artist in his whole lifetime.

“Frankly speaking, I think I am lucky to enjoy more than others as my specificity has been represented as uniqueness. I just aim to devote myself more as I think I enjoy more than my ability. I am not sure yet if belonging to disabled artists would be good to me. I do not know if it would work as gains or losses later, but what I know for sure is that I want to perform arts.”

And he also showed his interest in disability arts.

“In Seoul, the discourses of disability arts are handled as an issue, but it is not like that in other provinces. I have a dream. I would like to have my own private workroom where I can work over night without worrying about noise between floors. What I love to do is not making money, but doing my work.”

Kim Hwan

Majored in Western Painting, Dept. of Fine Art, College of Art & Design, Mokwon University

Majored in Western Painting, Dept. of Fine Art, Graduate School of Mokwon University

2019 The Rookie Award in Chuncheon Arts Awards

Five times of private exhibitions

Group exhibitions

2023 Shape of Connection & many others

Art Fair

2022 Gaenaree Art Fair & many others