Woomin Kim
epoxy clay, plastic nail tips, gel nail polish
Nails are accumulated dead cells. They protect our skin and are useful tools. At the same time, they can be fully decorated for joy and self-expression which is possible only because they are dead and don’t have nerves or veins. In this installation/sculpture on the dead tree-bed, the accumulated fingers/nails act as death angels and creative agents at the same time.
I contemplate the relationship between the new genre of craft - nail art- and self-expression, everyday spirituality and under-recognized creative labor.
Sontop
Woomin Kim is a Korean artist currently based in Queens, NY. In her textile works and sculptures, Kim describes sceneries and memories of everyday life and urban landscapes that feel personal and precious to herself. Kim’s work has been exhibited at the RISD Museum, Bronx Museum, Hood Museum of Art, Cincinnati Art Museum and the Moody Center for the Arts. Kim has participated in residencies at the Queens Museum, Smack Mellon and Art Omi. Kim collaborated with the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Noguchi Museum and American Folk Art Museum for various workshops and programing. Her works have been featured in The New York Times, Hyperallergic and BOMB Magazine. Kim received a B.F.A. from Seoul National University and an M.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Fallow Frames Biennial 2026
September 19 — 20 2026
Ridgewood, Queens NY
1pm — 6pm
20 Empty Tree Beds - 24 Participating Artists
Ridgewood's sidewalks contain more than 800 empty street tree beds, roughly one for every 90 residents. For one weekend, twenty of these overlooked spaces will be transformed into temporary, site-specific artworks by 23 participating artists.
Visitors are invited to explore the neighborhood on foot, discovering how contemporary art can temporarily transform familiar streets while reflecting on public space, urban ecology, and the hidden potential of the city's overlooked landscape.