Word Play

The language of art is sometimes a simple translation.

Artist Kyeong Kim found her inspiration in an elevator. The simple industrial beauty of the raised stainless-steel Braille words and the seemingly random pattern caught her eye. It was not the meaning of the pattern, but the three-dimensional pattern itself that was the start of Kim’s artistic exploration.

Now, working with stainless steel, she uses Braille patterns for inspirational words, such as “hope,” “love” and “dream.” Kim says, “I chose stainless steel for the material because the light creates irregular forms on the surface, contrasted by the systematic patterns that Braille itself creates.”

Light dances across the brushed steel, and shadows and highlights play on the raised knobs of the Braille language. Simple, finished wood strips or polished rocks add a natural component. The straightforward rendering is supported by these minimalistic elements and the simplicity of the construct. The medium enhances the message.

In an odd turn, Kim is now an active volunteer with the New Hampshire Association for the Blind. The tactile beauty of her work must be evident, too.

—Susan Laughlin

Kyeong Kim is represented by the Anderson-Soule Gallery in Concord.
Two Capital Plaza, Concord
(603) 228-3800