BIO
kimyenacreates@gmail.com
Yena Kim is a visual artist who explores three-dimensional forms through the lens of traditional craft and materiality. Through intuitive, repetitive weaving of rattan reed and clay, she pushes the inherent boundaries of her media. She earned her B.F.A. from California State University, Long Beach (2021) and her M.F.A. in Furniture Design and Woodworking from San Diego State University (2025). Her sculptures have been exhibited in various juried shows across San Diego, including the California Center for the Arts, the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center, and the San Diego Central Library. She is currently based and working in North Los Angeles.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My art practice is about a series of physical interactions:
between myself, the maker, and the material; between the viewer and the formal object; and between those
objects and the spaces they inhabit. For me, process and experimentation
with three-dimensional materials and forms are the origins from which my concepts are
derived. My forms are dictated largely by
the physical realities of the material, process, and space, allowing the final
outcome to remain open to conceptual interpretation—the process generating
conceptual connections, rather than vice versa.
My current work investigates traditional basket-weaving techniques, utilizing the inherent qualities of rattan reed in relation to the body. These human-scale and larger objects are often suspended from the ceiling, installed on the wall, or positioned directly on the floor to engage the surrounding architecture, integrating them into the viewer’s physical space. By leveraging the natural resistance and elasticity of rattan, I explore and discover unique configurations within these forms. These bodies of weaving sculptures attempt to construct an unknown world, challenging the perception of a given space through a new sensory experience. Ultimately, my work creates a dialogue between the viewer’s presence and the large-scale woven forms before them.
My current work investigates traditional basket-weaving techniques, utilizing the inherent qualities of rattan reed in relation to the body. These human-scale and larger objects are often suspended from the ceiling, installed on the wall, or positioned directly on the floor to engage the surrounding architecture, integrating them into the viewer’s physical space. By leveraging the natural resistance and elasticity of rattan, I explore and discover unique configurations within these forms. These bodies of weaving sculptures attempt to construct an unknown world, challenging the perception of a given space through a new sensory experience. Ultimately, my work creates a dialogue between the viewer’s presence and the large-scale woven forms before them.