The Dishh

By Jonathan Hunt

Galerie Shibumi in Chinatown is set to open its doors on Thursday, January 16, 2025, for a new exhibition by artist and award-winning filmmaker Ari Kim. However, I was able to attend a VIP reception last night and got a preview of this exquisite show.  The show, titled “Mae-Deup (매듭),” this show draws its name from a Korean term that translates to “knot” or “connection.” For centuries in Korean decorative arts, this knotting practice has served as a symbolic thread tying people together across generations. Now, in Ari Kim’s hands, it becomes both a thematic anchor and a creative prompt for an array of paintings and installations that invite viewers to reflect on family ties, memory, and the subtle gestures of care that shape our lives. The exhibition officially runs from January 17 through February 23, and those who step inside will encounter an immersive blend of visual art and music intended to stir emotions and spark personal recollections.

According to gallery representatives, “Mae-Deup” will feature a series of Ari’s latest paintings, each exploring the idea of connectedness through imagery that unites past and present. Central to many of these works is the motif of braided hair, a visual cue that has both personal and cultural resonance for the artist. In Korean tradition, hair is regarded as an ancestral gift, something to be treated with reverence and protected from harm. Ari draws on that notion, depicting intertwined locks as more than a mere stylistic choice. Instead, these braids evoke an umbilical connection between figures who may be family members—perhaps a mother and daughter, or an older self and a younger self. The choice remains deliberately ambiguous, inviting viewers to place their own interpretations and familial histories onto the canvas.

“Mae-Deup (매듭)” marks a new phase for Ari, who has spent a significant portion of her creative life exploring different mediums. Raised in a household that encouraged artistic expression, she recalls being two years old when she first started drawing on wallpaper whenever she ran out of paper. Rather than scolding her, her mother let her continue, fostering a sense of freedom that Ari says laid the groundwork for her future pursuits. That early embrace of color, line, and space eventually led her to study painting, printmaking, and video art at the collegiate level. Yet her artistic trajectory would change again when she discovered the power of filmmaking during her undergraduate years at NYU.

Surrounded by peers who were dedicated to cinema, Ari initially joined their film sets to help out, never suspecting how much the process would captivate her. Spending weekends filming meant immersing herself in an environment where collaboration was paramount. Sound technicians, cinematographers, editors, and actors all brought their individual visions and skills, blending them into one unified endeavor. In contrast, painting had allowed her a measure of solitude and personal control—she could decide every detail herself. But filmmaking required relinquishing some of that control and trusting a collective. Far from seeing this as a drawback, Ari found it liberating and inspiring, a creative synergy she now channels into all her projects.

That synergy is perhaps most evident in how “Mae-Deup” integrates a musical component alongside the visual works. Rather than display her paintings in silence, Ari enlisted award-winning composer and musician Jackson A. Waters, known for his compositions for orchestras, chamber ensembles, and wind groups. After discussing the backstory behind each piece, Waters composed a distinct musical score for each painting. Gallery visitors will have the option to listen to these scores through Bluetooth beacons placed near the artworks, allowing a personalized experience of pairing each visual piece with a specific auditory mood or narrative. By doing so, Ari aims to expand the emotional resonance of her work, ensuring that each painting conveys not only an image but also an accompanying soundscape.

The underlying themes of “Mae-Deup” reflect not just aesthetic concerns but also personal introspection. Ari has long been interested in how small, often unspoken acts of care connect people over the years. She recalls instances from her own upbringing, such as her grandmother quietly shielding her from the sun or her mother removing a stray white hair. These may seem mundane on the surface, yet Ari sees them as profound demonstrations of love and concern. Capturing these moments in paint has become her way of preserving and venerating them, and she hopes viewers will recall their own silent gestures of affection within their families. In her view, these subtle behaviors form the knots—both literal and metaphorical—that hold relationships together.

While painting remains a cornerstone of Ari’s practice, her evolution as a filmmaker has also garnered significant recognition. She has won awards at the Cannes World Film Festival, the Berlin Short Film Festival, and the Independent Shorts Award for her work on “The Eyes of the Ocean Are Always Swollen.” Despite the accolades, Ari insists that film and painting are complementary rather than competing disciplines. She regards painting as a private, inward journey—something she does in her studio with no one else around—while film is an ensemble endeavor, requiring an array of professionals to bring an idea to life on screen. Filmmaking, in her words, demands “an extraordinary level of trust”: a willingness to believe that each person’s contribution will enrich, rather than dilute, the vision.

In discussing how she balances these different forms of creativity, Ari points to the contrasting demands each places on her. In painting, she can shift gears at a moment’s notice: one day might be consumed by detail work, another by sweeping gestures that redefine the entire canvas. In filmmaking, however, a single oversight—whether in the lighting design or the sound editing—can upset the delicate equilibrium of the entire scene. Yet she values this collaborative test of faith, comparing it to the trust that exists in tight-knit relationships, where one relies on the other to maintain the shared bond.

Ari’s fascination with bonds extends beyond just family connections. One of her earliest breakthroughs in New York came when she screened a twelve-minute video piece titled “소주 한잔 해요 (Let’s Have Soju).” This project revolved around a two-hour phone call with her father, who had often spoken about how meaningful it would be for them to share a drink one day. That aspiration represented more than a simple beverage—it signified time spent together, emotional closeness, and a ritual passing of adulthood. Although the video was heavily grounded in Korean-language dialogue, Ari was surprised to find it resonated with a woman who did not speak Korean. Through subtitles and raw emotional content, this viewer was reminded of her own father, someone she had not thought about in years. The encounter solidified Ari’s conviction that honest storytelling can surpass linguistic and cultural divides, reinforcing her dedication to making work that stems from deeply personal truths.

“Mae-Deup (매듭)” is further set apart by the environment in which it is displayed. Galerie Shibumi is notably smaller and more intimate than many of New York’s larger exhibition spaces. Located in the heart of Chinatown, it draws a diverse audience, some of whom might intentionally seek it out, others of whom might stumble upon it by chance while exploring the neighborhood’s narrow streets. Ari appreciates this scale, describing it as a place that allows viewers to slow down and engage with each piece, rather than hurrying through a vast hall. She believes that this unhurried, thoughtful engagement mirrors the show’s focus on patient, attentive observation of human relationships.

In addition, the artist emphasizes that although “Mae-Deup” spotlights her work as a painter, she has no intention of leaving filmmaking behind. In fact, she is currently finalizing a short film titled “(24),” shot the previous summer, and she has also begun outlining a screenplay set in 2012 New York, centered on the dynamic between a grandfather and granddaughter. With each step forward, Ari envisions weaving her two main art forms in increasingly interconnected ways, always looking for opportunities to merge the introspective qualities of painting with the collaborative thrust of filmmaking.

Regarding the commercial side of this latest body of work, pricing details remain private. Interested collectors are encouraged to email contact@galerieshibumi.com for specifics. Ari’s decision to keep pricing off the public list is partly practical but also speaks to her perspective on how art enters someone’s life. Just as the braids in her paintings represent an ancestral gift or a symbolic connection across time, so too does the act of purchasing a piece form a new knot between the collector and the creative journey that birthed the work. In her view, that exchange can be as meaningful as the artwork itself.

As the show’s opening date approaches, the anticipation among art lovers in Manhattan is noticeable. Critics who have previewed images from “Mae-Deup” mention its poignant blend of Korean heritage and universal themes, praising the heartfelt narratives that emerge from seemingly simple depictions of braids and familial embraces. Others highlight the unique technological element: the ability to hear a specially composed musical score while viewing the art. This innovation encapsulates Ari’s broader mission: to forge connections that transcend visual boundaries, linking one sense to another in the same way families are linked by intangible threads of devotion.

In many ways, “Mae-Deup (매듭)” feels like a culmination of everything Ari has been working toward—a marriage of cultural heritage, personal reflection, and collaborative innovation. For New Yorkers who wander into Galerie Shibumi starting January 16, the exhibit offers more than just paintings on a wall. It promises an encounter with the artist’s own recollections, a journey through the quieter moments that punctuate a family’s story. And it invites each viewer to linger, to listen, and to discover in their own memories the knots and connections that hold their lives together. With the show running through February 23, there is ample opportunity to appreciate this weaving of personal narratives, ancestral traditions, and contemporary artistry that Ari Kim has so thoughtfully prepared. And in a city that often rushes forward, the gentle reminder to pause and observe the tender bonds forming right in front of us may be the most meaningful creation of all.