Park Yelim South Korean, b. 1997

Working with ink, sand, and hanji, Park Yelim translates the lyrical yet dynamic energies of the natural world into painting. Rather than depicting specific landscapes, Park develops images through the forms and textures that emerge from the material properties of sand and the element of chance. Layers of ink are applied through varied techniques and repeated brushstrokes, seeping between grains of sand or sweeping across the surface to reveal unexpected forms. Through this process, the artist’s intentions interact with the unpredictable effects of the materials, giving each composition its distinct form and texture.

The repeated act of brushing across sand-covered surfaces becomes a way of discovering the diverse forms and movements of nature. Retaining the speed and force of the hand, the brushstrokes meet the uneven surface of the sand, while traces of ink that accumulate or seep into it evoke terrain shaped by time and natural forces. As materials accumulate, settle, or fall away, earlier marks are concealed and re-emerge, recording the process of change itself. Through these transformations and the layering of traces, Park approaches nature not as a fixed landscape but as a state of continual formation and alteration, translating the changing surfaces and marks left over time into the language of painting.

Having exhibited in Seoul, New York, Belgium, and Zürich, Park continues to expand her engagement with international audiences and collectors through presentations on the international art scene, including VOLTA Basel.