Galerie Martin Kudlek is delighted to present its first solo exhibition of Berlin based artist Helena Parada Kim. Of Korean-Spanish heritage and raised in Germany, Parada Kim’s work delves into questions of identity and cultural belonging. Her multicultural background, combined with her refusal to identify with any single nationality, permeates her artistic practice, lending her works a distinct depth.
While studying at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf under Peter Doig, Parada Kim discovered her mother’s photo albums, which became a significant source of inspiration for her artistic journey. The graceful figures dressed in traditional Korean Hanboks, found in these photographs, inspired a series of portraits that explore the blurring of memories and cultural symbols. In some of her paintings, the faces of the figures are rendered in detail, while in others, the focus is on the clothing alone, evoking a mysterious, almost ghostly quality, reminiscent of old photographs fading over time.
Helena Parada Kim uses costume in her work as both a cultural marker and a personal expression of her heritage. The depicted clothing becomes a symbolic vessel for identity and memory. This interplay between fashion, family history, and cultural narrative gives her works a unique atmosphere that is both intimate and universal.
Portraiture is central to Parada Kim’s artistic practice, with a strong influence from the European tradition of portrait painting. However, Korean motifs and familial themes also play a crucial role, creating a fascinating contrast with Western visual traditions. Her works weave together elements of tradition and personal history, offering a layered reflection on belonging and cultural identity, embracing the west and the east, the old and the new.