We recently connected with Jung Soo Kim and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jung Soo, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is deeply connected to my experiences in Chicago, a metropolitan city that is constantly in flux with its fast-paced changes. As someone who enjoys walking, I often wander through the city, observing the transformations around me. In 2024, a change occurred right in the heart of downtown Chicago. During one of my walks, I suddenly began encountering young girls and children selling candy at the corners between buildings. At first, I didn’t know where they had come from, and their sudden appearance was unsettling. I felt a sense of guilt wash over me, knowing I couldn’t do anything. Especially on cold days, when I saw them wrapped in blankets, breastfeeding babies, my heart broke.

That’s when I felt compelled to listen to their stories, not only because I wanted to understand their experiences, but because I wanted the people passing by to hear them too. I knew that, like me, some of them would feel the same sense of guilt when encountering these young women and children on the streets, unable to help.

I began seeking them out and recording their stories. Most of them were immigrants from Venezuela, Peru, and other South American countries, risking their lives in search of a better life. Though I’m neither American nor from South America, I felt an urgency to listen to their voices as an outsider, someone who could provide a platform for their narratives.

These interviews were part of my project ‘Vertical Walk Project: Have You Ever Heard the Voices of People at the Street Corner?’, which was exhibited at the Chicago Art Department in December 2024.

Building on this experience, I aim to create a three-dimensional map that expands beyond Chicago’s horizontal grid, exploring its vertical grid. Through interviewing these women on the ground floor, at the very level closest to the earth, I discovered the street narratives they were unconsciously creating through their daily lives.

Jung Soo, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As a contemporary New Media artist and re-illuminator, I collect and reinterpret narratives from the spaces I encounter to build new perspectives. My work highlights the ephemeral yet enduring traces of human interaction within specific social and geographical contexts.

Recent experiences of racial and ethnic bias and violence in Chicago have compelled me to explore the layered histories of inclusion and exclusion. As a Korean, Asian, woman, and foreigner, I bring a deeply personal lens to these themes, examining how identity shapes our understanding of belonging and place.

My practice draws from personal observations and encounters, using materials and methods that respond to the unique environments I engage with. From performance to site-specific installations, I explore the circular relationships between individuals, cities, and societies interconnections that ultimately return to the personal.

Through my work, I transform “space” into “place,” infusing it with intimate, individual narratives. By fostering these interactions with people and places, I invite audiences to recontextualize their own psychogeography, encouraging reflection and a deeper awareness of their geographical, psychological, and societal contexts.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I am someone who learns and discovers through action, making it difficult for me to imagine things I haven’t experienced firsthand. People often describe artists as creative individuals living in their own unique worlds. However, as an artist, I see myself as someone who sensibly expresses a unique point of view shaped by diverse experiences. This doesn’t mean I lack creativity or perspective, but rather that the “peculiar” world seen through the lens of an artist cannot be constructed through imagination alone.

It took me a long time to arrive at this understanding. I often grappled with doubts about why I couldn’t become the kind of artist others seemed to expect me to be. These doubts led me to question whether I should abandon this path entirely. Over time, I realized these thoughts stemmed from trying to conform to a narrow and homogenized definition of what it means to be an “artist.” Once I let go of those constraints, I began to see the world more freely.

A pivotal moment in this shift was reading Yi-Fu Tuan’s Space and Place. Tuan’s exploration of how “space” transforms into “place” deeply resonated with me. He describes this transformation as a process where we interpret and redefine space through our unique perspectives and lived experiences. This concept became a cornerstone of my artistic practice, helping me understand that my role as an artist is to reinterpret spaces into meaningful places that carry personal and collective significance.

To me, being an artist is not about excelling at drawing or possessing extraordinary technical skills. It’s about expressing a unique point of view in a way that sparks dialogue and connection. Creating a space where these expressions foster meaningful conversations with others is, I believe, more than enough.

Looking back, I wish I could send encouragement and comfort to my past self, who was burdened by self-doubt and not yet free enough to embrace this broader perspective of what it means to be an artist.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As I mentioned earlier, my mission as an artist is to create spaces for dialogue. In today’s world, where people have become accustomed to short-form content and sensational materials, it feels increasingly difficult to engage in meaningful conversations. Sharing coherent stories, listening to others, and continuing those exchanges seem to be fading. This is why I believe the mission of artists is more important than ever.

As we focus on pursuing profit, entertainment, and provocative stimulation, our inner voices that seek dialogue are often ignored. I believe this lack of meaningful conversation is one of the reasons society is becoming more divided. While I cannot create every space for dialogue, I can bring meaning to the spaces I engage with by embedding stories and transforming them into places where conversations can happen.

Central to my mission is also the importance of building a community where artists can support and grow with one another. My individual voice may be small, but I believe that the combined perspectives of many artists can create a world filled with beautiful and diverse expressions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kimjungsoo.art/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimjungsoo_studio/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-jung-soo-330185276
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kimjungsoo6180/videos

Image Credits

Photo by. Sam Darby / Work. 회자정리 거자필반, 會者定離 去者必返, Every meeting ends in farewell, and every farewell carries the promise of return.
Photo by. Theo Wu / Work. 1. You are Here 2. The Pole, Yellow
Photo by. Alar Raudoja / Work ( )
Photo by. Yuwen Huang / Work. Vertical Walk Project: Have You Ever Heard the Voices of People at the Street Corner?