Komelia Hongja OKIM 김 홍자

BiographyKomelia Hongja Okim (born 1939) is a sculptor born in Seoul, Korea. She is also known as Komelia Okim, Kim Hongja, and Hongja Kim. Okim received a BA from Indiana University Bloomington in 1969 and an MFA from the same institution in 1973. She later traveled to Korea to learn traditional metalworking techniques. She taught at Montgomery College in Rockville, MD from 1972 to 2014, and retired as a professor emerita. Public collections holding work by Komelia Hongja Okim include Blue House (official residence of the president of the Republic of Korea), the Honolulu Museum of Art, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Kwachon, Kyungki Do, Korea), the Museum of Arts and Design (New York City), the Renwick Gallery (Washington DC), and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artist StatementAs a Korean-American artist and educator over the past 39 years, I have been fortunate to have had  numerous solo as well as group exhibitions, and have given many metal technique workshops and lectures in Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Russia, Norway, UK, and the USA. My artwork visualizes and depicts the dynamic interactions between different cultures and ethnic orientations, which often create challenging conflicts, tensions, as well as harmonies. I highlight the images of people, landscapes, and cultures to reflect upon contemporary and historical motifs. The images, forms and aesthetics reveal the characteristics of human gestures and moods in their environment: timelessness, tranquility, longevity, and spirituality. My life and work as an artist embrace and embody the YING YANG Principle of Eastern Dualism.

Website Komelia Hongja OKIM (KIM Hongja)