Sooun Kim, Outer Spaces Bank Commission

Sooun Kim, a multidisciplinary artist and Korean immigrant in Scotland, explores cultural hybridity, displacement, and post-colonial memory. He is the first of three artists to present work as part of our new programme of Bank Commissions, set to be unveiled in a series of pop-up events in Glasgow throughout spring 2025.

In May 2024 we selected Kim as the first recipient of the Outer Spaces Scotland RSA Award, where he received a free large-scale studio space and a £1000 bursary. We are now thrilled to continue our support for the artist by commissioning a new piece that responds to one of our most historic spaces.

Kim's forthcoming commission, Resilient Chandelier, will reimagine a chandelier as a spectral symbol of resilience, intertwining history, mythology, and personal migration. Through immersive 3D animation, the work will challenge oppressive power structures, revealing how identity is reshaped through ongoing adaptation, transformation, and resilience.

Ahead of the opening, we caught up with the artist to find out more about his experience of making the work.

How has the process of working in response to the banking hall influenced your practice?

I have been exploring sensory changes derived from migration experiences through painting and film, constructing virtual spaces in my work. However, in this project, I engaged directly with a real space for the first time. The structure and architectural elements of the banking hall naturally influenced the flow of my work, making the space not just a backdrop but an interactive element within the piece.

Working in response to the space introduced factors that I had not previously considered. The architectural structure, the way light diffuses, and the atmosphere of the space all created variables throughout the process. In previous works, I intended specific forms from the outset, whereas in this project, I allowed the work to evolve in relation to the space.

The chandelier is an object that appeared for the first time in this project. By deconstructing and reassembling it—once a symbol of power and authority—I focused on how its meaning could shift. As the light and weight distribution changed, the chandelier no longer felt like a fixed form but something in transition. Additionally, the crow serves as a spiritual presence signifying ancestral visitation, acting as a bridge between my homeland and the hall.

Have you ever worked in this way before and did it bring anything unexpected to the process?

This was the first time I worked in direct response to a specific site. In the past, my work was mainly centered on personal experiences and memories, whereas in this case, the space itself became a part of the work.

What I had not expected was how much the space would directly influence the structure and form of the piece. The architectural elements of the banking hall, the way light moves through it, and its aged columns and ornamentation all naturally shaped the process. Certain aspects of the work unfolded differently from my initial plans, and rather than following a fixed direction, I was allowed the piece to shift through a dialogue with the space.

What are your next steps, and where do you see your work developing after this project?

Through this project, I reconsidered how space is not merely a backdrop but an element that can evolve alongside the work itself. Moving forward, I would like to continue exploring the relationship between space and my work, expanding it by integrating both digital and physical elements. Additionally, I aim to develop a starting point where psychological changes materialize through my work in a tangible form.

In particular, I plan to experiment with how animation, sculpture, painting, and spatial composition can interconnect within a single work. Rather than treating each medium as a separate entity, I intend to develop my practice in a way that organically combines various elements.

Book to see!

Resilient Chandelier, Sooun Kim, Outer Space Bank Commissions

Saturday 29th March - Wednesday 2nd April 2025

Location: Outer Spaces, 30 St Vincent Place, Glasgow, G1 2HL

Find out more and book your visit here

Image courtesy of the artist.