Yula Kim
Degree: MA Contemporary Art Practice
University: Royal College of Art
Graduation Year: 2023
New Blood Art Commentary
Yula works and lives in London, UK. Artist Statement Yula is a contemporary painter whose work bridges the natural world and urban spaces through vivid colours, abstract forms inspired by natural creatures, and intricate spatial compositions. Her art explores Vitalism, a philosophy emphasising the interconnectedness of life, space, and nature, reaffirming their significance in an increasingly urbanised world. By integrating her third-cultural perspective, Yula weaves diverse narratives that challenge dominant viewpoints, offering a hybrid vision of shared human experiences. At the heart of her work lies a deep exploration of how humans engage with nature—both shaping and being shaped by it. Birds, a recurring motif in her paintings, symbolise resilience, migration, and the tension between humanity’s urban pursuits and the natural world’s persistence. They embody both freedom and fragility, mirroring human aspirations, cultural histories, and the consequences of ecological disruption. The extinction of species such as the ‘ō‘ō and huia reflects the impact of human intervention, while the migration of birds becomes a metaphor for movement, renewal, and reimagining coexistence. Yula’s work embodies a feminist ethic of care, resisting hierarchical systems that exploit and divide. Her paintings reimagine interactions between humans and nature as acts of empathy, challenging the modern disruptions that fracture these bonds. By celebrating vitality and critiquing the transformations of contemporary landscapes, she calls for a rekindling of humanity’s connection with the living world. Her art envisions a future where urban spaces and ecosystems exist in harmony, offering pathways toward healing, coexistence, and liberation. Through her dynamic compositions, Yula invites viewers to not only observe but to engage—reconsidering their role in an ever-evolving relationship with nature.
Artist Statement
I explore the evolving relationship between nature and urban life, using vivid colors and abstract forms inspired by birds and organic structures. My paintings reflect on how human intervention reshapes ecosystems, often disrupting delicate balances. Through a vitalist lens, I highlight resilience, loss, and transformation, inviting reflection on nature’s persistence within increasingly artificial environments. Birds, a recurring motif in my work, symbolise migration, extinction, and adaptation,echoing broader cultural and ecological shifts. By weaving personal and historical narratives, I aim to foster empathy and reimagine coexistence, offering a vision where human and non-human worlds intertwine in harmony.
Solo Exhibitions
(2024) Resonate, Heasung Art Bay Centre, Busan, South Korea
(2023) Soaring, BNK Bank Gallery, Busan, South Korea
Group Exhibitions
(2025) Concurrence, The Koppel Project Space, London, United Kingdom
(2025) K-Women, Celebrate Korean Female Artists, Kingston Museum, Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom
(2025) Silpa: Arts Exhibition, Central Saint Martins, London, United Kingdom
(2024) Potluck, 44AD Artspace, Bath, United Kingdom
(2024) Grand Yaji Symposium, Science Museum, London, United Kingdom
(2023) Winter Exhibition, D31 Gallery, Doncaster United Kingdom
(2023) Aesthetics of Bliss, 67 York Street Gallery, London, United Kingdom
(2023) My Animals, GALLERY OMNIBUS, Dresden-Pieschen, Germany
(2023) Tate Modern Late March, Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom
(2023) Coronation Concert, Windsor Castle, Windsor, United Kingdom
(2023) Welcome To Playground for All, M P Birla Millennium Art Gallery at The Bhavan, Kensington, London, UK
(2023) Neurodiversity Celebration Exhibition, The Hockney Gallery, Royal College of Art, London, United Kingdom
(2023) Bodyscape Canvas International Art Fair, The LINE Contemporary Art Space, London, United Kingdom
(2022) Platinum Jubilee Collection, Civic Gallery, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, South Kensington, United Kingdom
(2022) CAP Baret 2022, Gorvy Theatre, London, United Kingdom
(2022) CAP Salon, CAP Festival 2022, Dyson Gallery, Royal College of Art, London, United Kingdom
(2021) World of the Light, Auckland Technology University, collaborated to Auckland Art Week, Auckland, New Zealand
(2021) Silent Spring, We Are the Minories Gallery, Essex, United Kingdom
(2021) Graduation Showcase, Smiths and Partner Gallery, South Kensington, United Kingdom
(2021) Eco Feminist Festival 2021, Art Pavilion, London, United Kingdom
Competitions, Prizes & Awards
(2024) CTC Creative Clocks Competition Prize at Science Museum
(2023) Royal College of Art Permanent Collection
(2023) Arts Letters and Numbers Scholarship (Invite Artist Status)
(2023) Selected for Charles III’s Coronation Concert Artwork
(2023) Shortlisted to Contemporary Art Scholarship Competition 2023
(2020) BA Fine Art Department Student Coordinator Bursary Award
