Artist KangHee Kim is Your Girl For Sunset Portals
AKA @tinycactus on Instagram, her photography will transport you
You know that one artist you can’t wait to see new work from? KangHee Kim is that person for me. I stumbled across her last year and found a lot of comfort in her sky portals ever since.
In contrast to her Instagram username @tinycactus, KangHee’s photography emits big mood and soft feelings. If you’re having an off day, scroll through her feed and soak in the mellow vibes. Every time I look at her collages, I hear the discography from Her, La La Land, and underrated Korean indie group 92914 all at once. Her photos have healing powers for real. So when I found out that we shared a mutual friend and were neighbors, you know it blew my mind.
Restricted from traveling outside of the country due to her visa status, KangHee started collaging everyday scenes to create her own escapes; magical moments free from constraints like those in her own life. She doesn’t wait for amazing things to happen, she makes them herself.
Last week, we met at Round K (their dairy-free black lattes are worth the hype) in the Lower East side to talk more about her work and connected over our mutual love for Daniel Caesar, Garden of the Gods in Colorado, and sunsets.
Where does your Instagram name, @tinycactus, come from?
I really wanted to make one with my name but it was taken and I really didn’t want to use the underscore or numbers. I really like cactus, especially the tiny ones.
Your photos are very sentimental to me. How would you describe your style aesthetic?
I never think about my style. I just think about what I want to do. It just comes out really naturally. People tell me my work looks really sentimental. I think it’s because I make them to soothe myself, so that shows naturally for people. I guess I’m more concerned about the content than aesthetics. It’s more subconscious.
Is there a song that would describe your style of work?
Recently, I got into Daniel Caesar. His songs are very chill and peaceful. I think that goes well with my work.
What’s the project that you’re most proud of?
I would say… the latest one: Street Errands. I’ve been working on it for like two years.
Where’s your favorite area to walk around and shoot?
I like Chinatown. There’s always something going on. When I was in Brooklyn, I loved going out to my rooftop but I don’t have that in Bayside anymore. It was the best thing to see the sky everyday. In Bayside, you have to go to Fort Totten [nearby park by the waterfront]. I have to bike there but it has the same views almost.
As an artist, what’s been the most challenging part?
You have this one style, but you also have to move forward and do different things. It’s important to be myself and not be too influenced by what other people say, especially now with social media. Some people comment saying, “This is like the best you’ve ever created!” It’s nice feedback but I don’t want to be too influenced or care about how many likes I get.
Also, as a freelancer, I have to have self-discipline. That’s the hard part. In a way, you’re running your own business but you can’t be too business-minded. It’s very hard to find a balance because art and business don’t really go well together. That’s what I’ve been learning; schools don’t teach you that.
The most rewarding?
Freedom. That’s what I like the most.
If you could teleport anywhere, where would you go?
As of now, Korea.
What do you miss most?
It feels really weird because… I came here when I was like 14, so I lived almost half of my life there. I still remember things but you know how Korea develops super fast? It’s my homeland but I feel like I don’t know much about it anymore. I’m really curious about how it‘s changed.
Do you get fan messages from Korea?
I just got one today. Apparently she didn’t know anything about art but after seeing my show at D Museum, she got so into it. She told me she went to a cafe right after the show, grabbed a magazine and saw me in it. She said, “Thank you so much for getting me into art.” I got a lot of comments because of the show.
Do you have an artist or gallery there that you’d love to collaborate with?
D Museum, so it’s actually already happening. I heard a lot of good things about the museum. It’s my dream come true.
I’m actually planning a solo show at another gallery next year in Seoul, so hopefully I can go then. I can’t wait to go there and do a project mixing the two places [America and Korea] together.
Do you remember the weirdest commission request you’ve ever received?
It was actually from my friend. She wanted me to take portraits of her cat. I was doing a lot of still lifes back then and she wanted me to do it in the same style with her cat. That was the oddest one but it turned out cute. Her name was Munji [“Dustball” in Korean] because she looks like a giant munji.
There was one commission I couldn’t take. This woman was building a hotel in South Africa, and she wanted me to come and take photos but I couldn’t do it because I can’t travel yet.
Most memorable Instagram comment?
It was a DM. This girl was having a mental breakdown and after she followed me and saw my work, she started to feel better so I think that hit me so much. There are a lot of good comments, but that especially was like “Woah.”
It’s funny because I’m making the photos to feel better about my situation [not being able to travel outside the US] but they can also cure other people’s situations.
What makes your day?
Good food.
Good sky. Good clouds. Good sunsets. It feels really amazing because you never know if you’re going to see a really great one. Sometimes, they’re just not even there. I think it’s like life — you don’t know what to expect.
Where’s the best sunset you’ve ever seen?
I think it was actually in Colorado. And San Diego. Sunsets last for such a short period of time and that makes them really precious.
Who do you think is the most underrated artist right now?
My brother, Minku (@minku).
Besides your solo gallery show, are there any other upcoming projects you’re excited about?
I’m working on my second book. I think it’ll be published sometime this year. And I might show in LA sometime soon. I just got an email today but I might work on something with American Express. It’s been an exciting year.
For more of KangHee, follow her website and Instagram. And if you’re a fan of Mark Rothko, check out her talented older brother’s Instagram.
Her current art show in Seoul is running from now until October 28th this year. So if you’re going to be there anytime soon, add a visit to the D Museum to your art itinerary. Hopefully, she can travel from America to Korea soon and pursue her dream project of mixing the two countries together. Stay tuned for big things!
If you think what you’re doing is pretty darn cool and want to feature in your own Member Spotlight, reach out to us at hello@newstand.com.
