{"id":657864,"date":"2026-08-26T18:17:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T18:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/657864\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T18:17:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T18:17:23","slug":"mischievous-cats-rule-in-minyoung-kims-affectionately-quirky-paintings-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/657864\/","title":{"rendered":"Mischievous Cats Rule in Minyoung Kim’s Affectionately Quirky Paintings \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Myriad myths and symbols are wrapped up in our captivation with cats. In ancient Egypt, the animals were revered as divine protectors, personified by the deity Bastet. In Japan, it\u2019s hard to walk by shops without seeing a maneki-neko<\/a> waving from the window. And superstition says that if a black cat crosses your path, it may be bad luck. Although depending who you ask, it could mean good luck\u2026 did you happen to notice which direction it was walking?<\/p>\n

For artist Minyoung Kim<\/a>, who centers black felines in her eccentric compositions, the fascination comes down to \u201cthe contrast between how ordinary and how weird they are,\u201d she tells Colossal. Kim taps into the paradoxes, such as how the animals can be seemingly everywhere in our daily lives, yet they often remain aloof and unreadable.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cCat Sock\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, 100 x 100 centimeters<\/p>\n

That tinge of mischief is something she pulls through each work. \u201cI want the painting to look visually inviting or polished at first glance, but as you stand there, you start noticing things that don\u2019t quite add up\u2014a reflection that\u2019s wrong, an odd shape, an absurd gesture. That tiny moment of \u2018Wait, what?\u2019 is where the magic happens for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The black creatures in particular stoke Kim\u2019s imagination because they carry the most \u201cheavy cultural baggage,\u201d she says. \u201cOver time, the black cat in my work became less of a subject and more of a tool: sometimes a good luck charm, sometimes just a way to inject a bit of humour or subtle weirdness into a scene.\u201d Rarely a passive element of the compositions, the feisty pets often appear to be plotting something devious involving cutlery or simply creating chaos.<\/p>\n

Nuanced, slightly strange elements are characteristic of the artist\u2019s work, in which she toys with scale and absurd compositions. Sometimes the cats are more or less realistic, while other times their faces appear on tiny, fuzzy balls or critters, such as in \u201cCocktail Party\u201d or \u201cChopped Melon.\u201d Kim says, \u201cHumour is huge for me. Even though my paintings are pretty tightly constructed and technically meticulous, I really don\u2019t want them to feel stiff or overly academic. I want them to have a sense of play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Often, only a paw or a tail is visible, rendered mid-swipe as claws extend to grip a tablecloth or reach out to grab a knife. \u201cJust dropping a random paw, a single eye, or a curved tail into an otherwise mundane setup completely shifts the mood,\u201d Kim says. \u201cIt interrupts the room\u2026Ultimately, it\u2019s about making the familiar feel just a little off.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cThe Shining Net\u201d (2026), oil on linen, 25.5 x 20.3 centimeters<\/p>\n

Over time, Kim has thoughtfully transitioned how felines appear in her pieces. In her most recent paintings, such as \u201cThe Shining Net,\u201d the pattern of a moth\u2019s wings allude to the yellow eyes, but the artist instead emphasizes other symbolic and compositional forms, such as water droplets and an intricate web. Lately, she has been interested in European still-life painting, \u201cspecifically how it handles light, liquids, reflections, and moments of visual illusion,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Kim is currently preparing for a solo booth at Untitled Art, Miami Beach<\/a>, where she\u2019ll exhibit with Enari Gallery<\/a>. Follow updates and see more on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cStolen Flower\u201d (2023), acrylic on unstretched canvas, 50 x 50 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cSummer Reverie\u201d (2026), oil on linen, 60 x 60 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cDark Thought\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, 150 x 130 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cCocktail Party\u201d (2024), oil on linen, 30 x 30 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cBehind The Veil\u201d (2026), oil on linen, 150 x 130 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cThe Jar\u201d (2025), oil on linen, 70 x 70 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cReflector\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, 90 x 80 centimeters<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cChopped Melon\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, 40 x 40 centimeters<\/p>\n

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