Ip Gim: Feminist Art and Activism in South Korea
The essay 'Ip Gim: Feminist Art and Activism in South Korea' by Hyeonjoo Kim, translated by Jinjoo Kim, was published in Afterall Journal Issue 52 on March 17, 2022. It examines the pioneering feminist artist collective Ip Gim, founded in 1997 and active until 2018, which engaged with women's status in early 2000s South Korea through activist art projects. The article contextualizes Ip Gim within Korean society since the 1980s, a period marked by social movements against the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan (1980-1988), including the Gwangju Uprising. The Korean art scene then was polarized between Minjung Misul (People's Art) advocating social change and Dansaekhwa (Korean monochrome) promoting art for art's sake, both sharing a male-oriented subjectivity. Ip Gim's official title, 'Feminist Artist Group Ip Gim,' signifies gentle care through women's 'warm breathing.' The text originally appeared in Korean in Art History Forum no.42 (2016) and was expanded for Afterall.
Key facts
- Ip Gim is a feminist artist collective founded in 1997 in South Korea.
- The group's activities ended in 2018.
- The essay was written by Hyeonjoo Kim and translated by Jinjoo Kim.
- Published in Afterall Journal Issue 52 on March 17, 2022.
- Originally published in Korean in Art History Forum no.42 (2016).
- The 1980s in South Korea saw social movements against Chun Doo-hwan's regime.
- The Gwangju Uprising was a key democratic movement in 1980.
- Korean art scene was divided between Minjung Misul and Dansaekhwa.
Entities
Artists
- Ip Gim
Institutions
- Afterall
- Art History Forum
Locations
- South Korea
- Gwangju
Sources
- Afterall —