Ji Yong Kim

I am passionate about creating public art that can beautify the urban environment and foster a shared dialogue among the community and the artists. I believe that public art should be accessible and engaging for everyone, and that it should reflect the diversity and dynamism of the city. My mural style is colorful and expressive, often incorporating elements from my Asian background and the Buddhist artistic tradition. I have worked with different clients and communities, from public schools and libraries, hospitals and residential apartments, to storefront shutters and shelters for domestic violence victims. I have also collaborated with volunteer painters from nonprofit organizations such as NY Cares, where we completed large murals together through a series of community painting sessions. In recent years with the rise of Asian hate crime, mural painting became an indispensable means for me to spread positive messages to a larger audience. I began to embrace my Korean heritage and use my artistic abilities to make public artworks that can hopefully bridge the misunderstanding and expand cultural acceptance of each other.