Soni Kum is an interdisciplinary artist who was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan as a third-generation Korean.
She works in a variety of mediums including film and video, installation, performance, writing, photography, drawing, and dance. Her early artworks attempt to shed light on fragmented pieces of darkened history and realign them into more complex and personal storytelling.
After working on activist art projects with North Korean migrants in South Korea for several years, she began to explore the theme of ritual in her performance/ installation works. Her ongoing art project is to transform the relationship between the living and dying in contemporary society by attaining ultimate healing within ourselves.
Soni Kum received an M.F.A. from California Institute of the Arts in the United States in 2005 and a Doctor in Fine Arts from Tokyo University of Arts in 2011. Her work has been exhibited at numerous art spaces and film festivals around the world, which include the USA, Japan, Korea, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Philippines, China, Cuba, UK, and Myanmar. She has taught in several universities in South Korea for 4 years since 2011 and received the Excellent Lecturer Award from Yonsei University.
She was based in London, the UK as an artist in residency, a grant awarded by Pola Art Foundation, Japan from Spring 2016 till Winter 2017, and was doing research as a researcher at Kingston University, Department of Art and Architecture, and Live Art Development Agency.
She has been based in Tokyo, Japan since 2019.
Her recent projects include “morning dew” funded by Kawamura Arts and Cultural Foundation Socially Engaged Art Support Grant.
http://www.kacf.jp/pdf/vol2_en.pdf
Education
2011
Doctor in Fine Arts, Inter Media Art
Tokyo University of Arts, Tokyo, Japan
2007
1-year Overseas Program
Seoul National University, School of Arts, Korea
2005
M.F.A. Film & Video
California Institute of the Arts, USA
Solo Exhibition Record
2023
– Morning Dew: The Stigma of Being “Brainwashed”
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University
2014
– “Heaven’s Gate”, Gallery Brocken, Tokyo, Japan
2012
– “Art Pilgrim”, Gallery Mejum, Seoul Art Space-Seongbuk, Seoul, Korea
2006
– “Price is Right”, ESL Projects, Los Angeles, U.S.A
Selected Group Exhibition/ Screening Record
2023
-“KANTEN 観展: The Limits of History”
apexart
291 Church St, New York, NY 10013, United States
Curated by Eimi Tagore-Erwin
-“SPECIAL SCREENING AND ARTIST TALK: SONI KUM’S MORNING DEW”
Department of East Asian Studies, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, NYUAsian Film and Media Initiative in the Department of Cinema Studies, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU, Organizers: Eimi Tagore-Erwin,Kyle Nowak
-“Screening and Artist Q&A with Soni Kum”, UCLA, Darren Star Screening Room, Melnitz Hall , Los Angeles CA
The Morning Dew (2020)
The Testimony (Hiroki Yamamoto & Kazuya Takagawa, 2020)
Organized by Junko Yamazaki
Sponsored & supported by: UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies, UCLA Center for Korean Studies, UCLA Center for the Advancement of Teaching
-AAS-IN-ASIA Special Exhibitions 1&2, Humanity Korea Hall,
Directors Kim Dong-ryung & Park Kyoung-tae and Soni Kum, Organized by Han Sang KIM Ph.D. Associate Professor of Sociology, Ajou University, and Shota Ogawa Ph.D. Graduate School of Letters, Nagoya University
-“Korean Diaspora Films and New Media Series: Artist Talk with Soni Kum”,
Carolina Asia Center, Department of Art and Art History, The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill-“Morning Dew: The Stigma of Being “Brainwashed””
Department of Film and Media Studies, University of California, Irvine, Organized by André Keiji Kunigami PhD
2022
-“14th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs)
DMZ-POV Special Exhibition of Soni KUM:
Embodied Art of a Zainichi Korean, Questioning the Borders Beyond Japan
DMZ-POV 금선희: 일본을 넘어 경계를 묻는 재일조선인의 체현 예술”
Curated by So Hye Kim
Organized by Hyeshin Alex Han
Presentation by Hiroki Yamamoto, Shota Ogawa, Minhwa An, So Hye Kim
-“On Art Project “Morning Dew”: Memories, Dreams, Voices of the North Korean “Ex-Returnees” in Japan”
Aichi Arts Center (Art Space A), Nagoya, Japan
2020
– “APPARATION 先端芸術表現科20周年展” Chinretsukan Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
-“Morning Dew “, Exhibition for a joint project between the artist and ex-“returnees” who defected from North Korea to Japan,
BUoY, Tokyo, Japan
2019
– “Screening of Soni Kum’s Films, Beast of Me and Foreign Sky”
University of Minnesota, Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, Trylon Cinema
-“Art and Post-colonial East Asia vol2”, Kyoto Academia Forum, Tokyo, Japan
2018
-“Art and Post-colonial East Asia”, Art Ongoing cafe, Tokyo, Japan
-“Gyeonggi Arichive_Now”, Gyeonggi Sangsang Campus, Suwon, South Korea
2017
-“Focus Female Korea: Never Ending Song” Mein Blau, Berlin, Germany
-“Body Temple”, Owl Barn Residency, Gloustershire, the UK curated by Sara Zaltash
– “Unruly Shadows: Artist Films and Videos on Challenging Spheres”, NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore
2016
– “Krisis Symposium” Bonington Gallery, Nottingham, curated by Something Human, UK
-“Flags, Transnational – Migrants and Outlaw Territories”, Tokyo Wonder Site, Japan, Curated by Alice Ko
2015
– “Performing Memory: Soni Kum & Yoshiko Shimada”, Platform Gallery Kingston University, Curated by Eliza Tan
2014
– “Heaven’s Gate, reconciliation”, Busan Biennale 2014, Asian Curatorial Exhibition, curated by Juno Seo, South Korea
2013
– “ACCENTED BOUNDARIES”, Itinerant sends for itinerant Studio, Copenhagen, Denmark
– “Dear Curator Me”, Selasar Sunaryo Art Center, Bandung, Indonesia
2012
– “Women In-Between: Asian Women Artists 1984-2012”, Fukuoka Asia Art Museum, Japan
– “As I was Moving Ahead Occasionally I saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty”, Publik screening, Copenhagen, Denmark
– “Muestra Joven 2012 (Young Filmmakers Film Festival”, ICAIC, Havana, Cuba
– “Dear Curator Me”, Madrid, Spain
http://www.dearcuratorcurateme.info
– “A Postcard from Afar: North Korea from a Distance” Apexart, curated by Mark Feary, New York, US
– “Art, Performance and Activism in Contemporary Japan”, Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park, London, UK
2011
– “Leyte Dream, Sacral Dance/Sacrifice”, Hiroshima International Peace Film Festival, Hiroshima, Japan
– “MINIMOVES”, BKK ArthouseGallery 3rd Bangkok art & culture centre , Bangkok Thailand
– “Image in the Aftermath”, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
2010
– “Deer Hunter” Matsushiro Contemporary Art Festival, Nagano, Japan
– “Moira Roth Festschrift”, Poor Farm, Manawa, Wisconsin, US
– “LIVE ART/ART OF INTERVENTION”, Kyoto Art Center, Japan
– “CINEMA in Exile”, Documentary Dream Show by Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Japan
2009
– “ASIAN ART FILM PROGRAM 1”, NEON HALL, Nagano, Japan
-“10th Open Art Performance Festival”, Open Art 798 Art District, Beijing, China
– “CINEMA in Exile”, Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Japan
– “ASIAN ART FILM PROGRAM 2”, NEON HALL, Nagano, Japan
– “Beyond Pressure International Performance Event”, Yangon, Myanmar
– “Foreign Sky”, Hiroshima International Documentary Film Festival, Hiroshima, Japan
2008
– “Korean Diaspora Film Nights”; Green Papaya, Quezon City, Philippines
– “Building Code Violations II”; Long March Space, Beijing, China
– “Festival Weib’s Bild 2”; Alte Feuerwache, Koln, Germany
– “2Talk Creative Convergence”, Sambalicaan Ground, Quezon City, Philippines
– “Small East Asia Co-prosperity Restaurant 08”, Gallery Mestalla, Tokyo, Japan
– “Pucheon International Performance Festival”, Korea
2007
– “Trauma, Interrupted: Art as Transport Station”, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
– “Imaginary Homelands”, Green Papaya, Quezon City, Philippines
– “A Midsummer’s Nights Dreaming of Films”, Cinekatipunan Magnet, Quezon City, Philippines
– “8th OPEN Art Performance Festival”, Open Art 798 Art District, Beijing, China
2006
– “Foreign Sky”, 16th International Women’s Film Festival, Manila, Philippines
– “Foreign Sky”, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, U.S.A
– “Foreign Sky”, Le Petit XiaoXiao, Shanghai, China
– “Foreign Sky”, Chamber of Public Secrets (Cable TV Project), Copenhagen, Demark
– “The Man Who Does Not Clap His Hands” (Installation), Off the Record (Public Art Project by Eric Van Hove), Tokyo, Japan
2005
– “DEFENCE”: Body and Nobody in Self-Protection, Sweeny Gallery, University of California, Riverside, USA
– “Two Letters from a Forgotten War”, Echopark Film Center, Los Angeles, USA
– “Foreign Sky”, Floianopolis International Film Festival, Floianopolis, Brazil
– “Cinema Capacete V: not video, nor cinema, neither television”, CAPACETE entertainment, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2004
– “Mania for Coleslaw”, Highways Performance Space, Santa Monica, CA, USA
2003
– “Down to It”, Crazy Space, Santa Monica, CA, USA
Artist talk, Lecture, Conference (screening)
2023
-“Morning Dew” Symposium: Borders, Visibility, and Invisibility
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, the East Asia Program, Cornell University
Artist: Soni Kum and her collaborators Hiroki Yamamoto and Kazuya Takagawa, Moderator: Brett de Bary. Panelists: Iftikhar Dadi (Cornell), Rebecca Jennison (Seika University, Kyoto), Soyi Kim (LB Korean Studies Research Scholar, Cornell) and discussant Naoki Sakai (Cornell)-“Panel: Archive Effects in East Asia: Thinking across Theory and Practice with Artists and Researchers”, AAS-in-Asia Conference 2023 (Association for Asian Studies): Asia in Motion- Memory, Preservation and Documentation, Daegu, Korea
Organized by Han Sang KIM Ph.D. Associate Professor of Sociology, Ajou University, Chair: Shota Ogawa Ph.D. Graduate School of Letters, Nagoya University, Presentation by Shota Ogawa, Han Sang KIM & Park Kyoung-tae, Soni Kum
-“A Striking Artist: Soni Kum’s Conjuring of the Spirits of Kwangjoo and Morning Dew, Roundtable Discussion with Soonyoung Lee, Sun-Joo Lee, Setsu Shigematsu, and John N. Kim
-“HANES VISITING ARTIST LECTURE SERIES: SONI KUM”, Hanes Art Center, The Department of Art and Art History, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
-“Film Screening with Soni Kum: Morning Dew: The Stigma of Being “Brainwashed”
UC San Diego, School of Global Policy and Strategy, Korea-Pacific Program, Institute of Arts and Humanities, Film Studies, Organized by Andrea Mendoza, PhD
2022
–“CRITICAL IMPULSE TALK SERIES- Vol.1 はなせないことをはなす “
Artist Talk by Yuki Iiyama and Soni Kum
Art Center Ongoing, Tokyo, Japan
2021
-“Image, Stories, and Silences of “Ex-Returnees” Who Defected from North Korea to Japan: Artist Talk with Soni Kum”,
Cornell University, East Asia Program NY
2020
-“Morning Dew symposium”, honkbooks, Tokyo, Japan
-“New Horizons of Socially Engaged Art in the Corona Era”, Online Symposium sponsored by SEA grant from Kawamura Foundation for Arts and Culture
Moderator: Yoshitaka Mori, Chiaki Soma, Kenji Kubota 川村文化芸術振興財団SEA助成主催 オンライン・シンポジウム
「コロナ時代における、ソーシャリー・エンゲイジド・アートの新地平」 エキソニモ、高山明、琴仙姫、きむらとしろうじんじん、相馬千秋、毛利嘉孝、司会：窪田研二
2019
“Regarding Socially Engaged Art Project , “Morning Dew” by Soni Kum”
The Arts Studies and Curatorial Practices program at the Graduate School of Global Arts + Music Environment Creation (Mouri Lab), Tokyo University of the Arts,Cooperation: Project “Morning Dew”, Kawamura Arts and Culture Foundation
2016
– “Soni Kum, Illuminating Ghost: Ritual & offering in Performance Art”,
Artist Talk and Presentation at LADA (Live Art Development Agency), London, UK
2015
– “Soni Kum Artist Talk”, Chugye Art University, Seoul, South Korea
2013
– “Soni Kum film screening and Artist Talk”, East Asian Study Institute, Sung Kong Hoe University, Seoul, Korea
-“Communion; Soni Kum screening and Artist Talk” Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
2012
– “Art, Performance, and Activism, In Conversation: Yoshiko Shimada and Soni Kum”
Japan Foundation Visual Arts and Artists Series, London, UK
2011
– “Arts Education & Practice-based Research Symposium”, Korea National Research Center for Arts, Korea National University of Arts (Symposium)
– “IFTR; International Federation of Theatre Research Symposium”, Osaka University (Work Presentation by Yasuko Ikeuchi, Rebecca Jenisson), Osaka, Japan
– “Memory and Representation of War”, Ritsumeikan University, Gender Studies, Kyoto, Japan (Artist Talk)
– “Works of Soni Kum” Seikei University, Tokyo, Japan (Lecture)
2010
– “Soni Kum Symposia” Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, Japan (artist talk)
2009
– Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, Yamagata, Japan
– Hiroshima Peace Film Festival, Hiroshima, Japan
– Society for Cinema and Media Studies(SCMS), Tokyo Japan (Lecture by Yasuko Ikeuchi)
2008
– Green Papaya, Quezon City, Philippines (artist talk)
– “2Talk Creative Convergence”, Quezon City, Philippines (artist talk)
2007
– Sakima Art Museum, Okinawa, Japan (artist talk)
– Ateneo Art Gallery, Quezon City, Philippines (artist talk)
2006
– “Film, Gender, Power” (conference), Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
– “Global Visions: Memory-Traces, Libidinal Imaginaries, and Intercessory Images”, as a part of “Global States” in the Department of Comparative Literature at UC Irvine, U.S.A (screening)
– Nikon Salon Public Lecture by Chong Hwa, Lee, Tokyo, Japan (screening)
– Seikei University Center for Asian and Pacific Studies, Tokyo Japan (artist talk)
– Copenhagen University, Denmark (screening)
– Shanghai University, China (screening)
– University of Philippines, Diliman (lecture)
– University of Philippines, Mindanao(lecture)
Collaboration, Workshop, Projects
2012
“To Become One: Division and Art”
-Public Art Project creating discourse on ongoing Division in Korean Peninsula and Art.
“Sacral Dance Workshop in collaboration with Filipino Artist”
– Healing Dance workshop project with migrant women in Seoul, South Korea.
* Above projects are both funded by Seoul Art Space-Seongbuk (Seoul Cultural Foundation), South Korea
2011
“GANDA HEALING Art House PROJECT”, Grassroots ART CENTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN
– Art project with Asian migrant women residing in South Korea
– Art project with North Korean refugee children residing in South Korea
– Dance project with Pyongyang performance group(North Korean performance group residing in South Korea)
“Division and Art” (seminar), Seoul Art Space-Seongbuk
* Above projects are both funded by Seoul Art Space-Seongbuk (Seoul Cultural Foundation), South Korea
2010
GANDA ASIA HEALING FILM PROJECT
Mindscapes Of Women, Island Grassroots Story Telling With Film
At Enigmata Treehouse Ecolodge and Sculpture Garden, Camiguin Island, Philippines
2008
“GAME (Grassroots Advancing Multi-Media Eco-education)for Children”
at Enigmata Treehouse Ecolodge and Sculpture Garden, Camiguin Island, Philippines
“URBAN PLAN/DUYAN Project ~ Lotus from Plastic Mud” (Collaborative video installation project with Alma Quinto, Tessa Guazon and UST art students)
in collaboration with Kaibigan Foundation, Manila, Philippines
2006
“Dream Workshop” (Workshop, Collaboration with Alma Quinto)
with CRIBS (Institution for sexually abused girls), Quezon City, Philippines
“Tell me a story, Mr. Cloud…”(Workshop, Collaboration with Enigmata and Department of Education, Camiguin Island )
Children’s Biodiversity Mini Earth Camp, Camiguin Island, Philippines
(Environmental multi-media video art film making workshop for children by the children)
Publication
2016
Video Work “Still Hear the Wound” is enclosed in DVD in the book “Still Hear the Wound: Toward an Asia, Politics, Art to Come. Selected Essays Edited By Lee Chonghwa”, translated in English by Rebecca Jennison and Brett de Bary
Published through Cornell University East Asia Series, University of Hawai Press
2013
Essay “Flower of Potato; Regarding Project with North Korean Migrants” in book “Representation of Woman in Asia; Colonialism, War, Woman, Representation”
Seikyusha Publisher, Tokyo, Japan
2011
“Art Pilgrimage”, The Korean Journal of Arts Studies Vol 4., Korea National Research Center for Arts, Korea National University of Arts
2009
“Still Hear the Wound/ Zanshou no Oto”
(Artist Anthology Book, enclosed DVD video works by Soni Kum)
Iwanami Publisher, Tokyo, Japan
Award/ Grant / Scholarship/ Residency
2022
The Pola Art Foundation, Grants in Support of Art-Related International Exchange
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
2019
Kawamura Arts and Cultural Foundation Socially Engaged Art Support Grant
2016
Live Art Development Agency, London, UK (11month)
with a grant awarded by Pola Foundation, Japan
2014
Gertrude Contemporary Art, Melbourne, Australia (3month)
2011-2012
Seoul Art Space Seongbuk (Seoul Cultural Foundation), Seoul, South Korea (18month)
2012
– “Excellent Lecture Award”, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
2011
– “Excellent Achievement Award”, Japan Student Support Organization Scholarship, Tokyo, Japan
2010
– Japan Student Support Organization Scholarship, Tokyo, Japan
2008
– Korean Arts and Culture Education Service (Research Grant at House of Sharing for – – Comfort Women), Seoul, Korea
2007
– Overseas Research Grant by Japanese Educational Ministry (1year exchange program at Seoul University, Korea) , Tokyo, Japan
2006
– Japan Student Support Organization Scholarship, Tokyo, Japan
2005
– Cal Arts Scholarship, California, USA
2004
– Cal Arts Scholarship, California, USA
2003
– Cal Arts Scholarship, California, USA
2001
– Korea Foundation in Japan Scholarship, Tokyo, Japan
2000
– Korea Foundation in Japan Scholarship, Tokyo, Japan
1999
– Korea Foundation in Japan Scholarship, Tokyo, Japan
1998
– Korea Foundation in Japan Scholarship, Tokyo, Japan
Academic writings by the scholars in English
2023
“In/Visible—New Directions in Contemporary Art by Zainichi Koreans: Fragile Frames/Precarious Lives—in Soni Kum’s Morning Dew (2020)” by Rebecca Jennison, Contemporary Zainichi Experience: Past, Present, and Future Trajectories: the Seoul Journal of Korean Studies Special Issue Winter 2023
Transnational Dialogues and Contemporary Art in Japan: “Missing Pieces”, by Rebecca Jennison & Cynthea J. Bogel, Routledge Handbook of Asian Transnationalism, Edited By Ajaya Kumar Sahoo
2022
“Decolonizing (through) Obsolete Media: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Travelogue” by Shota T. Ogawa, Non-Fiction 05: The Obsolete and The Resurrected: Archaeological Cinema in Asia
2019
“Re-envisioning “East Asia”: minor transnationalism, Trans-Pacific dialogues, and the visual arts” by Rebecca Jennison,Amerasia Journal
Volume 45, 2019 – Issue 3
2018
“Decolonial Possibilities of Transnationalism in Contemporary Zainichi Korean Art” by Hiroki Yamamoto (Emerging Scholar Prize Winner), Situations: Cultural Studies in the Asian Context, Yonsei University
2017
“Reimagining Islands: Notes on Selected Works by Oh Haji, Soni Kum, and Yamashiro Chikako” by Rebecca Jennison, in Asian diasporic visual cultures and the Americas
2015
– “Looking at Foreign Sky, desperately seeking post-Asia: Soni Kum, Nagisa Oshima, Ri Chinu by Brett de Bary, Cornell University, Asian Cinema Volume 26, Number 1
-“Trauma and Survival in the Art of Yoshiko Shimada and Soni Kum” by Eliza Tan, 2016, Performance Studies International Fluid States 2015 Tohoku, Japan, the Keio University Art Center(KUAC).
-“The Politics and Aesthetics of the Wound: Performative Narratives of the People by Zainichi Korean Artists” by Eun-young Jin and Bo-seon Shim, Korea Journal, vol. 55, no. 1 (spring 2015)
-“Her Narration and Body: on Soni Kum’s Video Work” by Ikeuchi Yasuko, Translated by Junliang Huang, “Still Hear the Wound: Toward an Asia, Politics, Art to Come.” Selected Essays Edited By Lee Chonghwa, translated in English by Rebecca Jennison and Brett de Bary, Published through Cornell University East Asia Series, US
-“‘Postmemory’ in the Work of Oh/Okamura Haji and Soni Kum” by Rebecca Jennison, “Still Hear the Wound: Toward an Asia, Politics, Art to Come.” Selected Essays Edited By Lee Chonghwa, translated in English by Rebecca Jennison and Brett de Bary, Published through Cornell University East Asia Series, US