korean artist ham jin creates tiny sculptures no bigger than a fingernail

‘aewan #1015’, 2004 by ham jin c-print of installation made of polymer clay on the artist’s belly button 125.5 x 155 cm (size of sculpture is approximately 1 cubic cm) image © the artist courtesy PKM gallery, seoul

ham jin: planet PKM gallery, seoul, korea september 7th through october 26th, 2012

seoul-based artist ham jin (b. 1978) first became regarded for his work while still at university in 1999 for his miniscule clay sculptures, no bigger than a fingernail. his work, on show at PKM gallery in seoul, korea, is often laced with hidden narratives, communicating them through tiny mixed media dioramas which often include dead insects or mundane everyday objects. jin’s work is informed by his years at kyungwon university for the arts and country-side childhood, imbued with memories of walking amongst the mountains, drawing mushrooms – capturing and remembering this essence of youthful innocence in his artwork. his pieces are often characterized by an endearing grotesqueness and carefully occupy the audience for a moment while they are invited into another world, one of arresting imagination.

‘aewan #1019’, 2004 c-print of installation made of polymer clay, instant noodle and mixed media h: 125.5 x w: 169 cm (size of each sculpture is 0.7 x 1.5 x 1 cm) image © the artist courtesy PKM gallery, seoul

‘aewan love #3’, 2004 h: 125.5 x w: 155 cm image © the artist courtesy PKM gallery, seoul

unknown image © the artist courtesy PKM gallery, seoul

‘boy flying a fly’, 2006 / ‘cookie monster’, date unknown h: 139.7 cm x w: 114.3 cm/ size unknown images © the artist courtesy PKM gallery, seoul

ham jin stands under one of his works at PKM gallery in hwa-dong, central seoulcourtesy PKM gallery, seoul