Born in 1960 in Cheong ju and raised in Seoul, Korea, Ik-Joong Kang has lived and worked in New York City since 1984. He received his MFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York and a BFA from Hong-Ik University in Seoul, Korea.

Kang has exhibited widely, including: a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris, New York in 1996; a two-person show with Nam June Paik at the Whitney Museum of American Art at Champion, Connecticut; group exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, the British Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles; the Ludwig Museum in Germany, and the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Korea. In 1997, he was awarded The Special Merit prize in the 47th Venice Biennale, and in 2014 Kang was among the artists featured in the Korea pavilion that received the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Architecture Biennale.

The artist is internationally recognized for creating major public art works using multiple 3 x 3 inch canvases to spotlight the plights of people and societies around the world. In December 1999, Ik-Joong Kang worked with 50,000 children from South Korea in creating 100,000 Dreams. This project featured a one kilometer-long, vinyl tunnel?inside which all of the children's works were displayed.

In 2001 Kang completed the project ‘Amazed World’ commissioned by the Republic of Korea in association with UNICEF. Approximately 40,000 works by children from 150 countries and a diverse range of cultures, religions and political beliefs were displayed in a giant maze installation in the lobby of the United Nations building in New York. In 2013 the artist built a 175-meter-long covered bridge, ‘The Bridge of Dreams’, in Suncheon, Korea, containing 120,000 drawings by children from around the world. Last year alone the ‘Bridge of Dreams’ drew more than 5 million visitors. Kang has installed children's drawings at many hospitals and public places around the world including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital (Ohio, USA 2006), Zaitun Library (Erbil, Iraq 2008) and Asan Medical Center (Seoul, Korea in 2010).

Situated in the center of the River Thames by the Millennium Bridge, Floating Dreams in London 2016 is the latest piece in his body of works that shed light on the suffering of displaced people and communities in war-torn locations across the world. Constructed from 500 miniature drawings and illuminated from within, the three-story-high lantern structure acts as a memorial to the millions displaced and divided during the Korean War (1950-53) and a poignant symbol of hope for the reunification of North and South Korea. The installation is commissioned and presented by Totally Thames. Ik-Joong Kang commented “River is alive. It talks, breathes and thinks. I know Thames does same thing. And it can also connect and embrace us.”

His next project is making a circular shape bridge over the Imjin River that separates North and South Korea. Kang says, ‘The children’s dreams fill the inside of the bridge, and anyone who walks on this bridge will be sent to the future without even having to buy a ticket’.

Kang has received many awards and fellowships, including a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Fellowship and Joan Mitchell Foundation Fellowship. His works are in the collection of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Detroit Institute of Arts in Detroit, the British Museum in UK, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Ludwig Museum in Germany, the Samsung Art Museum, and the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Korea.

 Ik-Joong Kang

BORN in 1960, CHEONG JU, KOREA

WORKING/ LIVING in NEW YORK

EDUCATION

1987 :  Pratt Art Institute (MFA), Brooklyn, NY

1984 :  Hong Ik University (BFA), Seoul, Korea

SELECTED PROJECT / ONE OR TWO-PERSON EXHIBITION

2023 :  Things I Know, Hangeul Public project, Korean Cultural Center, Madrid, Spain

2022 :  The Moon is Rising, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

2021 :  Bridge of Dreams, Outdoor Installation, Imjingak DMZ Park, Paju, Korea

2020 :  Busan Arirang, Busan Museum, Commissioned by Republic of Korea, Busan, Korea

2020 :  Gwanghwamun Arirang, Commissioned by Republic of Korea, Seoul, Korea

2020 :  Kiddy Car, The War Memorial of Korea and Camp Humphreys, Korea

2020 :  Moon Jar/Longing For Home, The Korea Society, New York, NY

2018 :  House of Dreams, Permanent Outdoor Installation, Cheongju, Korea

2018 :  My Hometown, Cheongju, Korea

2018 :  My Dream Career, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

2018 :  Memorial Garden, Permanent Outdoor Installation, Suncheon, Korea

2017 :  Things I Know, ARKO, Seoul, Korea

2017 :  Moon Jars, National Gallery of Art, Sofia, Bulgaria

2017 :  Samramansang, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

2016 :  Floating Dreams, Thames Festival 2016, London, UK

2016 :  Cube, Picture Book Library, Sun Cheon, Korea

2016 :  Going Home/Arirang,Odu Mountain Unification observatory, Paju, Korea

2015 :  Singing Water, Permanent Outdoor Installation, Sun Cheon, Korea

2013 :  Bridge of Dream, Permanent Outdoor Installation, Sun Cheon, Korea

2012 :  Things I know, Sabina Lee Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2012 :  Things I know, Public/Outdoor Installation, Industrial Bank of Korea, Seoul, Korea

2011 :  Wall of Hope, Public project, Jang An Gu Hospital, Suwon, Korea

2011 :  Wall of Hope, Public project, Halla Hospital, Jeju Island, Korea

2010 :  Ik-Joong Kang vs Ik-Joong kang, POSCO Art Museum, Seoul, Korea

2010 :  Ik-Joong Kang: Mountain / Wind, Alexander Oches Gallery, Beijing, China

2010 :  Ik-Joong Kang, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

2010 :  Wall of Hope, Public Project, Myongji Hospital, Goyang, Korea

2010 :  Wall of Hope, Public Project, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea

2010 :  Wall of Hope, Public project, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea

2010 :  Things I know, Public/Outdoor Project, Korean pavillion in Shanghai Expo, Shanghai, China

2010 :  25 Wishes, Korean Gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

2009 :  Moon Jars, Neuffer am Park Kunsthalle, Pirmasens, Germany

2009 :  Multiple / Dialogue ∞, Nam June Paik and Ik-Joong Kang, National Museum of Contemporary Arts, Gwacheon, Korea

2008 :  Ik-Joong Kang: Mountain / Wind, Alexander Ochs gallery, Berlin, Germany

2008 :  Ik-Joong Kang / Inexorable Dream; The Korean Affair, Andrew Bae Gallery, Chicago, IL

2008 :  Wall of Hope, Public Project, Gyeonggido Museum of Art, Ansan, Korea

2008 :  Recent Works, Kang Collection, New York, NY

2008 :  Recent Works, Alexander Ochs Gallery, Berlin, Germany

2007 :  Ik-Joong Kang / Everything He has, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH

2007 :  Mountain / Wind, Public/Outdoor Project, Gwanghwamun, Commissioned by Republic of Korea

2007 :  Small pieces for Peace, Public/Outdoor Project, G8 Summit, Organized by Eurasian Foundation,
        UNICEF Germany, Heiligendamm / Münster Bad Doberan, Germany

2007 :  Moon of Dream, Public/Outdoor Project, Tae Hwa River, Ulsan, Korea

2006 :  Amazed Children, Public Project, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH

2006 :  Chance of Space, Princeton Cultural Council, Princeton, NJ

2005 :  Amazed World 2005, Public Project, Muhammad Ali Center, Louisvillle, KY

2004 :  Happy World, Public Project with Princeton Community, Princeton Public Library, NJ

2004 :  Moon of Dream, Public/Outdoor Project, Commissioned by WCO, Ho Su Lake, Il San, Korea

2004 :  Buddha with Lucky Objects 2004, Speed Museum, Louisville, KY

2003 :  Buddha with Lucky Objects and Other Works, Sabina Lee Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

2003 :  Amazed World and Other Works, Goethe Institute, Berlin, Germany

2003 :  Kang & Zhang, Shanghai Contemporary, Albrecht, Pruess & Ochs, Shanghai, China

2003 :  Happy Relief and Other works, Hutchins Gallery, Long Island University, Long Island, NY

2002 :  Buddah Eating Rice, Shanghai Contemporary at Bund Center, Shanghai, China

2002 :  Bridges-Interspace-Sky (in part of Space, Time and Architecture, organized by National Gallery and Deutscher)
        Collaboration with Zeiger and Schell Architecture firm, Pruess and Ochs Gallery, Berlin, Germany

2002 :  Cologne Pagoda and Other Works, National Museum of East Asian Art, Berlin, Germany

2001 :  Cologne Sculpture, Cologne Messe, Cologne, Germany

2001 :  Amazed World, Public Project, United Nations, New York, NY

2001 :  Enter the Heaven, Cultural Center at Geistag, Munchen, Germany

2000 :  Enter the Heaven, Asian Fine Arts Berlin, Berlin, Germany

1999 :  100,000 Dream, Public/Outdoor Project, Pa Ju Unification Park, Korea

1998 :  Nam June Paik / Ik-Joong Kang, Asian Fine Arts Factory,  Berlin, Germany

1997 :  Throw Everything Together and Add, Venice Biennale, Korean Pavillion, Venice, Italy

1996 :  8,490 Days of Memory, Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris, New  York, NY

1996 :  365 Days of English, Contemporary Arts Forum, Santa Barbara, CA.

1996 :  Throw Everything Together and Add, Art Space Seoul, Cho Sun Il Bo Museum, Hak Go Jae Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1996 :  Buddha Eating Chocolate, Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, England

1994 :  Multiple / Dialogue, Nam June Paik / Ik-Joong Kang , Whitney Museum of American Art at Champion, CT

1994 :  Throw Everything Together & Add, CAPP ST. Project, San Francisco, CA

1992 :  Ik-Joong Kang, 3 x 3, Queens Museum, Queens, NY

1992 :  Buddha Learning English, Asian American Art Center, New York, NY

1991 :  More is More, Collaboration with Bing Lee, Amelie A. Wallace Gallery, SUNY at Old Westbury, NY

1990 :  Ssound Paintingss, Main Gallery, Montclair State College, Montclair, NJ

1990 :  Public Performance: Untitled, Collaboration with Sang-Won Park, Main Gallery, Montclair State College, Montclair, NJ

1990 :  Public Performance: Untitled, Collaboration with Sang-Won Park, Epoche Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

1988 :  6,000 Works, Broadway Windows Gallery, New York, NY

1987 :  3,000 Works, Thesis show, Pratt Art Institute, New York, NY

1987 :  Public Performance: Everybody Thinks Oral Sex, Bronx River Gallery, Bronx, NY

1986 :  One Month Living Performance, Two Two Raw Gallery, New York, NY

1986 :  Public Performance: For the Cold Wall Collaboration with Antonin Mares, Legien/Leuschordamm, Berlin, Germany

1986 :  Public Performance: Flying Paintings, Openplatz, Kassel, Germany

1985 :  1,000 Works, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, Brooklyn, NY

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITION

2021 :  Chosunilbo 100 Years, Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, Korea

2020 :  Gallery Hyundai 50 Years, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

2019 :  The Story of You and Me, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Cheongju, Korea

2018 :  Stories and Dreams, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Ansan, Korea

2018 :  Hommage to Posco, Seoul, Korea

2017 :  Samramansang, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

2017 :  Contemporary Korean Ceramics, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK

2016 :  Contemporary Korean Ceramics, Foundation Bernardaud, Limoges, France

2016 :  Recent Acquisition, British Museum Korea Gallery, London, UK

2015 :  Reshaping Tradition: Contemporary Ceramics from East Asia, USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA

2015 :  NK Project, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea

2015 :  The Art of Our Time: Master Pieces from the Guggenheim Collections, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain

2012 :  DMZ Art / Book Project for Peace, Gyeonggido Museum of Art, Ansan, Korea

2012 :  50th Anniversary Exhibition, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH

2010 :  Mr. Rabbit in Art Land, Gyeonggido Museum of Art, Ansan, Korea

2010 :  Works in the Open Air, Gyeonggido Museum of Art, Ansan, Korea

2010 :  Moon is the Oldest Clock, National Museum of Contemporary Arts, Seoul, Korea

2009 :  Art Summer 2009, European Center for the Arts, Dresen, Germany

2009 :  Floor, Ceiling and Wall, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH

2009 :  Artist and Moon Jar, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

2009 :  New Chunjaeyeon, Yeomiji Botanical Garden, Jeju-Do, Korea

2008 :  Transcendence: Modernity and Beyond in Korean Art, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore

2008 :  Salunallets, St. Matthaus-Kirche, Berlin, Germany

2008 :  Moving Towards a Balanced Earth, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, New Zealand

2007 :  Kunstfest Weimar, ACC Gallery, Weimar, Germany

2007 :  Contemporary Korean Artists in New York, Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, Korea

2006 :  13 Artists in New York, Korean Mission to the United Nations, New York, NY

2005 :  Thirty ways of making painting, Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH

2005 :  Renewed Expressions, Howard County Center for Arts, Ellicott City, MD

2004 :  Declaration (100 Artists for Peace), National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwa Cheon, Korea

2004 :  Kwang Ju Biennale, Citiy Museum, Kwang Ju, Korea

2004 :  Pedestrian, Bronx River Art Center, Bronx, NY

2003 :  100 years, 100 dreams, Space World Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

2003 :  At the Crossroad, Korean Cultural Council, New York, NY

2003 :  Dream and Reality, Smithsonian Museum International Gallery, Washington D,C.

2003 :  Explaining Magic, Rotunda Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

2003 :  Der Rest der Welt, Neuffer im Park, Pirmasens, Germany

2002 :  Buenos Aires International Biennale, National Museum of Arts, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2002 :  70 Artist around World Cup, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

2000 :  Neuerwerbungen aus der sammlung Ludwig, Museum Ludwig Cologne, Cologne, Germany

2000 :  Koreamerica Korea,  Art Sonje Center, Seoul, Korea

2000 :  Continental Shift,  Museum Ludwig Aachen, Aachen

2000 :  Six Degrees of Inspiration, Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, Virginia Beach, VA

1999 :  Kunst-Welton in Dialog, Museum Ludwig Cologne, Cologne, Germany

1999 :  Crossing Zones, Depaul University Art Gallery, Chicago, IL

1999 :  Words, Texts, and meaning in the Permanent Collection, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, Bronx, NY

1999 :  Year of the Tiger, National Musuem of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

1998 :  Notes Across Asia, Konzerthaus Berlin, Germany

1998 :  Year of the Tiger, Haus Der Kulturen Der Welt, Berlin, Museum Lugwig, Aachen, Germany

1998 :  Where I am (Expo 98), Galeria Municipal Da Mitra, Lisbon, Portugal

1997 :  American Stories, Setagaya Museum, Tokyo, Japan

1997 :  Kwang Ju Biennale, Citiy Museum, Kwang Ju, Korea

1997 :  Objectivity, Contemporary Art Center, Virginia Beach, VA

1996 :  Just Past/Permanent Collection, 1975-96, The Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles, CA

1996 :  Sites of Chinatown, Museum of Chinese in the America, New York, NY

1994 :  Old Glory, New Story, Capp Street Project, San Francisco, CA Santa Monica Museum, Santa Monica, CA

1994 :  Habana International Biennial, Centro Wifredo Lam, Habana, Cuba

1993 :  New Expressions in Asian American Art, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY

1993 :  Slow Art, P.S.1 Museum, Long Island City, NY

1993 :  Dismantling Invisibility, A Space Gallery, Toronto, Canada, Art in General, New York, NY

1991 :  Louder, University of Illinois, Gallery 400, Chicago, IL

1990 :  International Art Show, Iida Museum, Japan

1990 :  Food, Hunterdon Art Center, Hunterdon, NY

1990 :  China, Hongkong Art Center, Hong Kong P.S. 1 Museum, Long Island City, NY

1990 :  Artist Against Racism, Bedford Styvesant, Cultural Center, Brooklyn, NY The Clocktower, New York, NY

1989 :  Uptown Downtown, Asian American Art Center/City Gallery, New York, NY

1987 :  Togetherness Always, Bronx River Gallery, Bronx, NY

1987 :  Personal History, Minor Injury, New York, NY

1986 :  Micro Max, Now Gallery, New York, NY

1985 :  Summer Group Show, Lasser Gallery, New York, NY

1982 :  Fu Exhibition, Total Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1981 :  Independent, National Art Museum, Seoul, Korea

AWARD / FELLOWSHIP

2021 :  Culture Merit Award, Republic of Korea

2012 :  Korean Art and Cultutre Award, Republic of Korea

2012 :  Alumni Achievement Award, Pratt Art Institute, New York

2008 :  Proclamation from City Council of New York

2007 :  Ellis Island Medal of Honor

1997 :  Special Merit Award, 47th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy

1997 :  Louise Comfort Tiffany Foundation Fellowship

1997 :  Today's Young Artist Award, Republic of Korea

1996 :  The Joan Mitchell Foundation Fellowship

1994 :  New York Foundation of Art Fellowship in Painting

1990 :  New York Foundation of Art Fellowship in Painting

ARTIST BOOK / CATALOGUE

2020 :  "My Hometown", Published by Republic of Korea, Korea

2018 :  "Sarubia" Published by Songsong Books, Korea

2018 :  "Moon Jar" Published by Songson Books, Korea

2017 :  "Ik-Joong kang Things I Know" Published by ARKO Art Center, Korea

2011 :  "Ik-Joong kang vs Ik-Joong Kang" Published by Posco Art Museum, Korea

2010 :  "Ik-Joong kang", Published by Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

2009 :  "Baram eu ro suk ee go ddang eu ro ee eur ji go" Published by Arumjigi, Korea

2009 :  "Paik / Kang" Published by National Museum of Contemporary Arts, Korea

2008 :  "Wall of Hope", Published by Kyung Ki Do Museum, korea

2008 :  "Ik-Joong Kang on the Moon", Published by Velocity Co.

2007 :  "Ik-Joong Kang", Published by Velocity Co.

2002 :  "Starving Artists' Restaurant Guide", edition 3

1998 :  "Starving Artists' Restaurant Guide", edition 2

1996 :  "Starving Artists' Restaurant Guide", edition 1

1991 :  "Throw Everything Together and Add", Published by Ik-Joong Kang's 1990 tax return money

COMMISSION / COLLECTION

2016 :  National Museum of Contemporary Arts, Korea

2015 :  Detroit Institute of Arts Museum

2015 :  National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

2014 :  British Museum, London, UK

2013 :  Seoul Museum of Art, Korea

2012 :  UNICEF, Seoul, Korea

2011 :  Sungshin Women's University, Seoul, Korea

2011 :  Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, NY

2009 :  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

2008 :  Zaitun Library, Erbil, Iraq

2008 :  UNESCO, Paris, France

2007 :  Kyung Ki Do Museum, An San, Korea

2005 :  Commission, New Jersey Transit Authority, (Newark Broad St. Station), NJ

2003 :  Commission, Princeton Public Library, NJ

2000 :  Commission, KOEX Asem Hall, Seoul, Korea

2000 :  Commission, Hungkuk Life Insurance, Seoul, Korea

2000 :  Museum Ludwig Cologne, Cologne, Germany

1999 :  Presdient's Committee on Arts and Humanity, Washington, D.C.

1997 :  Whitney Museum of American Art, NY

1997 :  Samsung Museum, Seoul, Korea

1997 :  The Bronx Museum of the Arts, NY

1997 :  Han Sol Cultural Foundation, Seoul, Korea

1996 :  The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA

1994 :  Commission, San Francisco International Ariport (main terminal), CA

1992 :  Commission, Department of Cultural Affairs, (Queens Vocational School), NY

1991 :  Commission, Metropolitan Transit Authority, (Queens Main Street Station), NY

ARTIST TALK / WORKSHOP

2023 :  Talk Concert, Dongbu Changgo, Cheongju, Korea

2023 :  Hangeul Public Art Workshop, Edithvale Community Centre, Ontario, Canada

2022 :  Suncheon Bay National Garden, Suncheon, Korea

2020 :  The Korea Society, New York, NY

2018 :  Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Ansan, Korea

2018 :  Chungcheongbuk-do office of Education, Cheongju, Korea

2016 :  British Museum, London, UK

2016 :  5 x 15/ 5 Speakers, 15 Minutes Each, London, UK

2016 :  Institute for Unification Education, Seoul, Korea

2016 :  Dong A University, Busan, Korea

2012 :  Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

2011 :  Williams College, Williamstown, MA

2011 :  Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Korea

2010 :  Metropolitan Museum of Art, Korean Gallery, New York, NY

2009 :  National Museum of Contemporary Arts, Korea

2009 :  Hong Ik University, Seoul, Korea

2008 :  Young Nam University, Daegu, Korea

2008 :  Loyola University, Chicago Humanities Festival, Chicago, IL

2008 :  Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL

2007 :  Sam Sung Scholarship Workshop, Yosemite National Park, CA

2005 :  University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

2004 :  Princeton Public Library, Princeton, NJ

2003 :  Long Island University, C.W. Post, Long Island, NY

2002 :  National Museum of East Asian Art, Berlin, Germany

1999 :  Parsons School of Design, New York, NY

1997 :  Long Island University, C.W. Post, Long Island, NY

1997 :  Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY

1997 :  Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

1996 :  Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris, New York, NY

1996 :  Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, UK

1995 :  Hartwick College, Oneonta, NY

1994 :  Whitney Museum of American Art at Champion, Stamford, CT

1994 :  School of Visual Arts, New York, NY

1994 :  PRATT Art Institute, Brooklyn, NY

1993 :  New York University, New York, NY

1993 :  State University of New York at New Paltz, NY

1992 :  Queens Museum of Art, Queens, NY

1990 :  Montclair State College, Montclair, NJ

1990 :  PRATT Art Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Ik-Joong Kang Studio

ikjoongkang@gmail.com

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