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long gallery with several paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022.

person walking through the long gallery with several paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022.

entrance to the exhibition revealing a person looking at a painting

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022.

entrance into exhibition with view of a painting

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022.

view of three paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022.

person looking at a painting

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022.

person walking through the long gallery with paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022.

long gallery with paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022.

view of four paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

person walking through a gallery full of paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

view of three paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

view of three paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

person viewing one of three paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

view of two paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

person viewing one of three paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

person viewing one of two paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

view of three paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

person viewing one of three paintings

Installation view, Byron Kim, Drawn to Water, James Cohan, 48 Walker Street, January 7 - February 19, 2022

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 13 (Tobey Pond), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 13 (Tobey Pond), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG12988

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 13 (Tobey Pond), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 13 (Tobey Pond), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG12988

light blue painting and dark green painting

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 13 (Tobey Pond), 2021

 

Detail

Image of BYRON KIM's  B.Q.O. 20 (Macrocystis pyrifera), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 20 (Macrocystis pyrifera), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

72 x 48 in
182.9 x 121.9 cm

 

JCG13175

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 20 (Macrocystis pyrifera), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 20 (Macrocystis pyrifera), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

72 x 48 in
182.9 x 121.9 cm

 

JCG13175

dark blue painting meant to look like ocean water

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 20 (Macrocystis pyrifera), 2021

 

Detail

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 19 (Tobey Pond), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 19 (Tobey Pond), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG13206

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 19 (Tobey Pond), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 19 (Tobey Pond), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG13206

blue painting meant to look like pond water

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 19 (Tobey Pond), 2021

 

Detail

Image of BYRON KIM's  B.Q.O. 17 (Gliderport), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 17 (Gliderport), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG13019

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 17 (Gliderport), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 17 (Gliderport), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG13019

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 12 (Tobey Pond), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 12 (Tobey Pond), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG12906

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 12 (Tobey Pond), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 12 (Tobey Pond), 2021

Acyrlic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG12906

dark blue paint meant to look like water with a light blue sky

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 12 (Tobey Pond), 2021

 

Detail

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 18 (Choppy Cove), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 18 (Choppy Cove), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG13020

BYRON KIM, B.Q.O. 18 (Choppy Cove), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 18 (Choppy Cove), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

104 x 72 in
264.2 x 182.9 cm

 

JCG13020

close up of painting of choppy water

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 18 (Choppy Cove), 2021

 

Detail

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 24 (Scripps Set), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 24 (Scripps Set), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

54 x 36 in
137.2 x 91.4 cm

 

JCG13179

Image of BYRON KIM's  B.Q.O. 24 (Scripps Set), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 24 (Scripps Set), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

54 x 36 in
137.2 x 91.4 cm

 

JCG13179

blue gradient

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 24 (Scripps Set), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

54 x 36 in
137.2 x 91.4 cm

 

JCG13179

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 23 (Honu), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 23 (Honu), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

54 x 36 in.
137.2 x 91.4 cm

 

JCG13178

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 23 (Honu), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 23 (Honu), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

54 x 36 in.
137.2 x 91.4 cm

 

JCG13178

green painting

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 23 (Honu), 2021

 

Detail

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 22 (Garibaldi), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 22 (Garibaldi), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

54 x 36 in
137.2 x 91.4 cm

 

JCG13177

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 22 (Garibaldi), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 22 (Garibaldi), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

54 x 36 in
137.2 x 91.4 cm

 

JCG13177

half sky blue half swamp green painting

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 22 (Garibaldi), 2021

 

Detail

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 21 (Triakis semifasciata), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 21 (Triakis semifasciata), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

72 x 48 in
182.9 x 121.9 cm

 

JCG13176

Image of BYRON KIM's B.Q.O. 21 (Triakis semifasciata), 2021

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 21 (Triakis semifasciata), 2021

Acrylic on canvas mounted on panel

72 x 48 in
182.9 x 121.9 cm

 

JCG13176

side of painting showing different blue tones

BYRON KIM

B.Q.O. 21 (Triakis semifasciata), 2021

 

Detail

Press Release

James Cohan is pleased to present Drawn to Water, an exhibition of new paintings by Byron Kim, on view from January 7 through February 19, 2022 at the gallery’s 48 Walker Street location. This is Kim’s fourth solo exhibition with James Cohan. The gallery will host an opening with the artist on Friday, January 7 from 10 AM to 6 PM. Masks and proof of vaccination are required for entry. 

 

The works in Drawn to Water belong to a new series titled B.Q.O., an abbreviation for Berton, Queequeg, and Odysseus, three key characters from famous oceanic tales: StanisÅ‚aw Lem's Solaris, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, and Homer’s The Odyssey. Kim first began this new series of paintings during a Rauschenberg Residency on Captiva Island, Florida in January 2020, while rereading these classic stories to spur his imagination. These three literary references suggest the enduring lifespan of the planet’s oceans relative to the temporality and mentality of human existence, destructive as it may be. Representing various bodies of water—at times placid or treacherous—Kim’s newest paintings reveal an experience of the sublime, by way of observing and submerging oneself in a fluid environment that can feel liberatory or, suddenly, prove overpowering.

 

In lieu of an opening reception, the artist has asked James Cohan to make a donation to Walk the Walk.

 

To explore the exhibition in our Viewing Room, please click here

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