The graphic designer Na Kim is the subject of a solo exhibition titled Bottomless Bag at the Seoul Museum of Art’s (hereafter SeMA) Buk-Seoul Museum of Art (hereafter Buk-SeMA) branch through September 13, 2020. This presentation marks the 14th edition of the children’s exhibition to take place at the museum. Widely recognized for her multifaceted practice that spans art and design, Kim reshapes her use of visual language to an unprecedented dimension by combining the formal elements of graphic design. Bottomless Bag owes its title to a little tool bag that used to be sold at stationary stores in front of elementary schools mainly during the 1980s to the 1990s. On view will be a selection of 11 works including murals, installations, and video which embody the moments and memories attached to objects from the past. 

The Children’s Gallery, in which the exhibition is held, is transformed into Kim’s very own “bottomless bag,” revealing the artist’s unique exploration into and relationship with her collection of archived objects. The idea of ‘collecting,’ which is the central theme for SeMA this year as well as a representation of Kim’s design methodology, suggests the importance of archived objects by reflecting upon the value and beauty of everyday life. The exhibition presents eight new works including the video installation RYB and G (2020) and print installation Self Portrait (2020), along with three earlier works including 2’13”, 4.6 Meters (2019), a set of three spiral staircases painted in primary colors, previously displayed at the Gwangju Design Biennale last September. Beck Jee-sook, Director of SeMA, has remarked: “By perceiving graphic design as a method for communication, the audience will be encouraged to cultivate a level of visual literacy which will allow them to interpret, critically assess, and create their own images upon encountering Kim’s unique design methodology and visual language through this exhibition.”