Sophia Kyungwon Kim   김 경 원

Sophia Kyungwon Kim, a Toronto-based visual artist and mother of four, is pursuing an MFA at OCAD University, building on her BFA in Drawing and Painting from the same institution. Her art, shaped by mutualism, ecological interdependence, and symbiotic relationships, draws inspiration from her diverse life experiences, including her former role as a police officer in Korea and her journey as an immigrant mother. Passionate about nature, Sophia explores the entangled relationships between organic and synthetic materials, emphasizing the delicate balance of collaborative survival. She uses oil and acrylic to capture often-overlooked entities, focusing on mushrooms—organisms that thrive through interconnection and mutual support. In a world of constant change, she aims to reveal subtle stories within nature, urging viewers to recognize the intricate web of coexistence that sustains life.

Biography

2002                    Korea National Police University Bachelor's Degree  in Public Administration

2002-2013        Served in Korea National Police

2013-                   Stay-at-home mother of four children

2022                    OCAD University Bachelor's Degree of Fine Arts (Drawing and Painting) with Distinction

2022                    Winner of Curtlands Foundation Prize 2022

2023-                  Studying at Interdisciplinary Master's in Art, Media, and Design at OCAD University

Exhibitions

2019. 04.   OCAD University First Year Self Portraits  -   Ada Slaight Galleries  -  Toronto, Canada

2019. 10.    Unknowable Unknowing   -  OCAD University & Toronto Biennial of Art - Toronto, Canada

2020. 07.   Art in the time of Coronavirus - from the Drawing and Painting program at OCAD U - Virtual

2021. 08.   Looking Out While Looking In - OCAD University & Southern University New York - Virtual

2022. 07.   Fresh Paint & New Construction 2022 - Art Mûr Gallery - Montreal, Canada

2022. 08.  Old Growth - Resurrection, Regeneration, Intervention - Propeller Art Gallery - Toronto, Canada

2022. 09.  Restroration - 31st KASC Annual Exhibition - Papermill Gallery - Toronto, Canada

2023. 10.   Han, Sum, Gyul - 32st KASC Annual Exhibition - Papermill Gallery - Toronto, Canada

2024. 04.  Keeping Dreams  - Women's Art Association of Canada - Dignam Gallery - Toronto, Canada

2024. 05.  Solo Art Exhibition presented by Hello Art & GWL Realty Advisior - 33 Yonge St - Toronto, Canada

2024. 07.  Toronto Outdoor Art Fair - Nathan Phillips Square - Toronto, Canada

2024. 07.  Memory : 33rd KASC Annual Exhibition - Joseph D. Carrier Art Gallery - Toronto, Canada

2024. 11.    WHO ARE YOU FROM/ How do you imagine your work a 1000 years from now? - Graduate Gallery - Toronto, Canada

2025. 03.  In The Making - Great Hall OCAD University - Toronto, Canada

Using Format