BOOK: Korean Feminist Artists-Confront and Deconstruct, Phaidon Publications

Written by Dr. Kim Hong-hee the visual survey “Korean Feminist Artists: Confront and Deconstruct” by Phaidon Publications is the first to delve into Korean feminist artists’ impact on the East Asian cultural landscape. The book  celebrates the work of 42 contemporary artists, from rising stars to globally recognized names, including Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, Kyungah Ham, Kimsooja, Lee Bul, Mire Lee, Minouk Lim, Haegue Yang, and Yun Suknam. Organized by themes including queer politics, ecofeminism, the diaspora, and abstraction, “Korean Feminist Artists features artworks across painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, installati”on, handicrafts, and performance. Through rich imagery and insightful writing, the book explores the quest of these pioneering artists for social, cultural, and sexual equality, from their confrontations with the mainstream art establishment to the significance of their aesthetic and political interventions. Richly illustrated with nearly 260 reproduced images and closing with a personal and thought-provoking essay from influential South Korean poet Kim Hyesoon, this vital and timely survey reveals the impact of women artists on Korean culture at large. -Efi Michalarou