Sung Hwa Kim, Still Life with Jar, Moon Lamp, and René Magritte Postcard, 2025; Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Print
Sung Hwa Kim’s enigmatic paintings take inspiration from the centuries-old tradition of Korean moon jars, which are known for their milky white glazes. The artist regards these porcelain vessels as symbols of cyclical transitions and existential reflection, through which the passage of time can be examined. Using colors that evoke temporal and spatial transitions, Kim crafts landscapes where contrasting forces—such as nature’s serenity and the city’s pulse, or day and night—collide. In doing so, he invites viewers to contemplate the fragile balance between what fades and what endures. In his own words, “[My work] is an invitation to reflect on the intersecting realities that shape our existence, both on Earth and in the vastness of the cosmos.” Born in Seoul and based in Brooklyn, Kim has presented work at venues that include Harper’s Gallery, New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, and East Hampton, NY; Cob Gallery, London, United Kingdom; Hesse Flatow, New York; and Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY.
The interplay of life, death, and rebirth serves as the central theme of Still Life with Jar, Moon Lamp, and René Magritte Postcard. A darkened cityscape—still and quiet beneath a distant, crescent moon—frames Kim’s mise-en-scène. Within the composition, a vase becomes a portal into a dreamlike scene, in which two white swans glide on a lake surrounded by summer greenery. Although the flowers nestled in the vase appear lifeless and grey, their petals glow as they fall. Meanwhile, a lamp casts a soft light onto its surroundings, as though to bridge day and night. Kim’s deliberate arrangement of objects explores not only the cycle of life but also how light and hope can emerge even in the darkest moments. Lastly, the inclusion of a postcard imprinted with Magritte’s artwork is a deliberate nod to artistic lineage, reflecting a belief that history is essential to both the present and the future.
Sung Hwa Kim
Still Life with Jar, Moon Lamp, and René Magritte Postcard, 2025
24 ⅜ x 20 ½ inches
Archival pigment print
Limited edition of 30 with 5 AP + 1 PP
Signed and numbered by the artist
As part of ART FOR CHANGE’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and charitable giving, we will plant 10 trees for each artwork sold. Of this limited edition series, Kim notes, “When I learned that ART FOR CHANGE will plant ten trees for every artwork sold, I felt genuine joy. It is hard not to feel humble when considering how brief our existence on this planet is, compared to its vast timeline. In spite of the fleeting nature of our time here, we have caused so much harm. At times, I wonder whether my art truly does anything good to make the world better. Projects like this reignite my sense of hope.”
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*Unframed prints ship within 1-3 weeks.
*Framed prints ship within 3-6 weeks.