Kim Wan-sun, a South Korean pop singer of the mid-1980s and early 1990s, has opened her first solo exhibition in New York as a painter.
The exhibition marks the 40th anniversary of the singer’s debut, running from Friday to March 31 at the Tenri Cultural Institute in Manhattan, New York.
Its title “Icon On Demand” refers to Kim’s past as a pop star driven by public demand, while hinting at her move to take control of her own image as an artist, according to the artist's agency, KWSunflower.
The exhibition presents a series of paintings that reflect on how public image is constructed and the pressures of constant exposure in contemporary culture. Several pieces, including “Untitled-Red” and a self-portrait, depict fragmented faces and masked figures, suggesting the psychological toll of constant exposure.
Dubbed the “Madonna of Korea,” Kim rose to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s, often credited with helping shape modern Korean pop performance with her dance-driven music and stage presence.
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