Kim Jae-Im belonged to the first generation of Korean Abstract Expressionists. Since her first one-woman show in Seoul, Korea in 1960, she has continuously exhibited her works in Europe and Asia. Although her works resemble those of American Abstract Expressionist painters superficially, there is a fundamental difference. For example, she uses Oriental brushes of all size as if her acrylic paints were links and watercolors. The expressive ink brushstrokes run in vertical, and diagonal directions in her recent works to organize the composition with the lively sense of rhythm. The empty, white background restrains the wildly dancing, calligraphic brushstrokes of ink and color. There is a drama of action and inaction as the titles of some works such as Temporal and Spatial suggest. Even her use of gold and silver ultimately relate to the traditional technique of wall painting in Asia where profuse amount of gold and silver are used. Moreover, one cannot help but remember the lyrical ink paintings of the 13th century Southern Song dynasty such as Ma Yuan or Mu Qi. Her act of painting, according Kim, often emulates the Korean Monk's Dance with graceful movement and impetuous of temporal and spatial activity by her act of first applying the paint and then quickly wiping away, thus crating the silent, empty space with a trace of painting.
Present Status:
| Lectures at Seoul Fine Arts High School |
Education
| 1956 | Graduated the attached High School, Teacher's College, Seoul National University |
| 1960 | Graduate from Department of Painting, College of Fine Arts, Seoul National University |
One Man Shows:
| 1960 | Gallery of Information Center, Seoul |
| 1961 | Gallery of Information Center, Seoul |
| 1964 | Gallery of Information Center, Seoul |
| 1975 | Midopa Gallery, Seoul |
| 1978 | Fine Arts Gallery, Seoul |
| 1979 | Chun-Buk Fine Arts Gallery, Chun-Buk |
| 1981 | Galerie Ostasien, Koln, Germany |
| 1982 | Fine Arts Center, K.C.A.F., Seoul |
| 1984 | Fine Arts Center, K.C.A.F., Seoul |
| 1985 | Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan |
| 1987 | Fine Arts Center, K.C.A.F., Seoul |
Group Shows:
| 1958-60 | Participated the 7th, 8th, 9th, Korean National Arts Exhibition |
| 1961 | Yi, Choon-Ki, Kim, Jae-Irn Exhibition, Gallery of Information Center, Seoul |
| 1962 | Yi, Choon-Ki, Kim Jae-Im Exhibition, Gallery of National Library, Seoul |
| 1963-87 | Korean Artists' Association Exhibition, Seoul |
| 1965-87 | Korean Christian Artists' Association Exhibition, Seoul |
| 1973-86 | Korean Painters Association Exhibition, Seoul |
| 1980-87 | Han-Oul Artists' Association Exhibition, Seoul |
| 1983 | Growrich Gallery, Seoul |
Invitation Exhibitiion
| 1961 | The Invited Artists Exhibition for the Commemoration (Invited by the Ministry of Culture and Information) |
| 1962 | International Liberal Art Exhibition, Seoul |
| 1963 | Invited to the Contemporary Painters' Exhibition, sponsored by the Chosun Ilbo, Seoul |
| 1974 | Invited to the Commemoration Exhibition of the Opening of Korean Culture and Arts Foundation, Fine Arts Center |
| 1975 | The Fund-Raising Exhibition to help Unfortunate Neighbors |
| 1981 | The Fund-Raising Exhibition for the Construction of Modern Arts Museum |
| 1983 | Korean Women Painters' Association Exhibition (National Museum of History, Republic of China) |
| 1984 | The 2nd All-Asian Consultation on Christian Art (National Arts Center, Manila, Philippines) The Invited Exhibition of Korean Women Painters (Korean Cultural Center, Tokyo, Japan) |
| 1985 | The 3rd All-Asian Consultation on Christian Art (Seoul Korea) Korean Women Painters' Association Exhibition (Invited by Korean Cultural Center, Paris, France) The Komatzu Seibu Department Store Gallery Invited Exhibition of (Komatzu, Japan) |
| 1986 | The Exhibition of "Today"(Korean Culture & Arts Foundation, Fine Art Gallery, Seoul) The 4th All-Asian Consultation on Christian Art (Kyoto, Japan) The Invited Exhibition for the 40th Anniversary of the Founding of Seoul National University |
Exchange Exhibition:
| 1982.12- 1983.1 | Korean, French Women Painters Exhibition (Korean Cultural Center, pans, France) |
| 1983 | Korea-Nepal Exchange Exhibition (N.A.F.A. Gallery, Kathmandu, Nepal) |
Attendance at Overseas Conferences and Inspection Tours:
| 1981. 3- 5 | The Inspection Tour of the Art Circles of the World (USA, U.K., France, West-Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Greece etc). |
| 1981. 5.11- 5.27 | During the tour, held the Sketch Exhibition (Oriental Arts Museum, Koln, West-Germany) |
| 1982. 1 | Enrolled In the Students Fine Arts Seminar (Japan) as a Commander (The Effects of the Korean Culture on the Japanese Culture) |
| 1982. 7 | Enrolled in Han-Oul Artists' Club Exhibition (Sahmil Gallery, L.A., USA) as a Commander |
| 1983. 1 | Enrolled in Korean Women Painters' Association Exhibition (National Museum of History, Republic of China) and Made the Tour of Various East-South Asian Countries |
| 1984. 3.23 -30 | Represented Korea At the 2nd All-Asian Consultation on Christian Art and Exhibited the Works. (Mt. Makiling, Philippines) (Theme: The Magnificat in Asia Today, Attendant: 53 Persons from 16 Countries) |
| 1984.11 | Attended at the Invited Exhibition of Korean Women Painters (Korean Cultural Center, Tokyo, Japan) |
| 1985. 9 | Attended at the One-Man Show (Fukuoka Arts Museum, Fukuoka, Japan) |
| 1986. 1 | The Sketch Tours of East-South Asian Countries |