We recently connected with Min Baek and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Min, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
My recent body of work. I am exploring paintings that incorporate drips and particles alongside sparse x marks. Over time, these marks transform into representations of flowers and stars as the work progresses. I am interested in x’s serving dual purposes: as a symbol of rejection and as a placeholder for ornamental metamorphosis. I believe there is something about this active gesture that attempts to decorate and reject its negative connotations. While art-making can have different meanings and purposes, for me, it serves as a way of reimagining vulnerability. Creating these images has become a form of poetic resistance in a sense—a way to confront, reject, and negotiate irrational ideas that trouble me. By weaving together light particles, bodily fluids, floating dust, celestial phenomena, and organic life forms, I aim to create a space for hope, survival, necessity, love, and renewal.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Min Baek– a visual artist based in New York. I work with painting, sculpture, writing and installation to explore the challenges of transience and womanhood, and methods of negotiation. Lately, my main focus has been on painting, which consists of oil, metallic textures, and lots of wild drips.
Last September, I had the opportunity to attend the Vermont Studio Center Artist Residency. I relocated from Philadelphia to New York shortly afterward. This transition marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life, supported by the New York Foundation for the Arts through their Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program.
My work has been featured in exhibitions at various venues, including the Youngeun Museum in Gwangju, Korea; the PAFA Museum in Philadelphia; the Helen J Gallery in Los Angeles; Artspace Boan 1942 in Seoul; and New York Live Arts. Currently, I am working towards new shows.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I would say that having your creative practice is like discovering your true mother tongue. I’ve always been troubled by how we interact and perceive, and I feel that expressing through art is the most genuine way I can be. While I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as rewarding, it is truly affirming.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
There have been many things that have inspired and influenced me, but one person who stands out is the painter Thomas Nozkowski. His work has really shaped how I think about the possibilities of painting, especially in abstraction. I’m also a big fan of impressionism and Asian ink wash painting. On the reading side, poet Kim Hyesoon’s works have introduced me to some really interesting ideas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.minbaek.info
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mini.bbbb
Image Credits
Min Baek