Image Courtesy of Soo Kim
Crafting Connections: Soo Kim’s Journey in Bridging Tradition and Innovation
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) student Soo Kim (BFA 2023, MFA 2026) is reshaping the way we experience Korean art and culture. At the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago (KCCoC), Kim was a driving force in the curation of their latest exhibition. Symbolism in Korean Art and Culture explores Korea’s visual heritage through enduring motifs and emblems that bridge tradition and modernity. Her work goes beyond curation; she’s building a bridge between tradition and innovation to make Korean culture accessible.
Led by director Gay-Young Cho, the exhibition brings Chwago drums and rare items from the Korean Pavilion at the 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition back into the public eye.
Image courtesy of Soo Kim
Kim was first tasked with researching and designing an interactive symbol key to guide visitors through the exhibit’s complex iconography. Kim took each symbol—from plants to animals—and made them an accessible doorway into Korean cultural themes. “I wanted visitors to find personal resonance in these symbols,” Kim said.
Image courtesy of Soo Kim
Kim’s role expanded from curatorial research to hands-on pavilion construction, coordinating and collaborating with Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) architecture students to design a space that echoes the historical architecture of the Columbian Exposition.
Image courtesy of Soo Kim
Leading a diverse volunteer team from SAIC and IIT, Kim helped design and build the structure, a process requiring intense physical labor, from setting up power tools to coordinating safety for the team. “The workload was challenging, but it bonded us,” Kim reflected. The collaborative effort and diverse perspectives helped create a dynamic setting that complements the rich heritage of the artifacts.
Image Courtesy of Soo Kim
Kim’s extensive involvement in arts leadership began during her undergraduate years, when she served as curator for SAIC’s Korean Students Association, growing her team from six to 20 and spearheading events that celebrated Korean culture on campus.
Reflecting on her work with materials like clay and wood, Kim noted, “I kind of have a sense of which pieces go well together in exhibition design,” a perspective enhanced by her own projects—such as a giant spoon with a hole or a reimagined telephone questioning the malleability of the past. Now, as head of the Korean Graduate Students Community at SAIC, she promotes cross-cultural dialogue through collaborative programming.
Image Courtesy of Soo Kim
Kim is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Arts Administration and Policy program at SAIC. Her skills in multimedia sculpture have informed her intuitive understanding of spatial relationships within exhibition design, allowing her to help create cohesive and immersive exhibitions like that at the KCCoC.
Beyond her curatorial projects, Kim founded object by soo, a craft studio in Seoul offering workshops for people of all ages, reflecting her mission to make art accessible to diverse audiences. This ethos continues to guide her approach to exhibition design and audience engagement.
Image courtesy of Soo Kim
“I want to explore the intersection of cultural heritage and contemporary design, creating exhibitions that are both educational and visually stimulating,” Kim said. By incorporating interactive elements like the symbol key in the KCCoC exhibition, she aims to make art spaces inclusive and welcoming to all.
Image courtesy of Soo Kim
Through Kim’s roles in curating, project management, and interactive art, she is crafting a career that builds connections across cultural and artistic boundaries. As she progresses in her graduate studies, Kim hopes “to create spaces where diverse people can engage with art in meaningful ways.”
Image by Clare Britt. Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago.