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Born and raised in Busan, Korea, Kate Bae is an immigrant artist and independent curator based in New York. Kate’s art practice is focused on multiple identities, memories, neuroses, and psychological borders. She holds an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, both in painting. Kate is also a recipient of several awards, including the 2018 Creative Capital Professional Development Program award and the 2017 New York Foundation for the Arts Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program award. She has completed residencies at the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts, SÍM Seljavegur Residency, the Studios at Mass MoCA, Trestle Gallery Residency, the Wassaic Project, Contemporary Artist Center, Tentacles+Surface Arts, Post Contemporary Residency, and Marpha Foundation, Nepal. Kate has exhibited nationally and internationally and has upcoming solo show at the Sunroom Project Space in Wave Hill, Bronx, NY.
Published January 13th, 2020, Interview responses collected in the months prior
What projects are you working on right now?
I just completed an installation Possible, Between and Together at Wave Hill, a public garden in NYC. As an emerging artist, this is my first major project presented in the eyes of public. The yellow flowers made of acrylic paint evoke a feeling of restoration and peace, and I focused on the medium of painting to create dialogues about representations of identity. Visitors are encouraged to write their own wishes onto a paper, and I am folding the paper into an origami boat. I tried not to read their wishes as much as I could, but I couldn’t help glimpse at some of them, and they were so moving that it made me cry. The interaction part of the project made me think about figures and people’s stories; I am sketching for a figure painting with storytelling, something I have not done in a long time; so that’s what I am working on.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
Often feeling lethargic with low energy, I try to be as efficient as possible and focus on only one thing at a time. My butt is very heavy but once a goal is set, whether that is an exhibition or finishing a project, I only pay attention on the goal with everything I’ve got, and I finish it. I utilize audiobook and podcasts to know what’s going on in the art world and attend residencies to meet fellow artists. I also rely on my loved ones to keep me in check.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
Being an artist is mad difficult. But I know that is my role to play in this world so I feel like I must continue despite many failures. My life goal is to instill spirits and distribute positive energy so I can contribute something good to the world in my own way – and I feel like I did partake a little bit through the Wave Hill project Possible, Between and Together. I felt the loving energy was shared through my work and it was mind blowing. I want to feel that again with something else, this time a little differently. My motivation is my unknown future work, I think; The work I have not made yet. I don’t know what it will look like, but I want to see and feel something wonderful to me, the most critical voice I know.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
I feel like I am starting a new chapter – not only I just completed my first major project, but I also turned to 40 recently. Thank you for letting me participate in the interview; this would be something of a mark, a point in my life that I would be able to come back and revisit.
What projects are you working on right now?
I just completed an installation Possible, Between and Together at Wave Hill, a public garden in NYC. As an emerging artist, this is my first major project presented in the eyes of public. The yellow flowers made of acrylic paint evoke a feeling of restoration and peace, and I focused on the medium of painting to create dialogues about representations of identity. Visitors are encouraged to write their own wishes onto a paper, and I am folding the paper into an origami boat. I tried not to read their wishes as much as I could, but I couldn’t help glimpse at some of them, and they were so moving that it made me cry. The interaction part of the project made me think about figures and people’s stories; I am sketching for a figure painting with storytelling, something I have not done in a long time; so that’s what I am working on.
How do you keep yourself accountable in your practice?
Often feeling lethargic with low energy, I try to be as efficient as possible and focus on only one thing at a time. My butt is very heavy but once a goal is set, whether that is an exhibition or finishing a project, I only pay attention on the goal with everything I’ve got, and I finish it. I utilize audiobook and podcasts to know what’s going on in the art world and attend residencies to meet fellow artists. I also rely on my loved ones to keep me in check.
How do you stay motivated to pursue your creative work?
Being an artist is mad difficult. But I know that is my role to play in this world so I feel like I must continue despite many failures. My life goal is to instill spirits and distribute positive energy so I can contribute something good to the world in my own way – and I feel like I did partake a little bit through the Wave Hill project Possible, Between and Together. I felt the loving energy was shared through my work and it was mind blowing. I want to feel that again with something else, this time a little differently. My motivation is my unknown future work, I think; The work I have not made yet. I don’t know what it will look like, but I want to see and feel something wonderful to me, the most critical voice I know.
Where do you hope to be 10 years from now and what would you like to say to yourself?
I feel like I am starting a new chapter – not only I just completed my first major project, but I also turned to 40 recently. Thank you for letting me participate in the interview; this would be something of a mark, a point in my life that I would be able to come back and revisit.
Find Kate Bae on Instagram
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