The exhibition traces Kim’s evolution from his 1970s printmaking experiments to his later philosophical inquiries into the cosmos and human history. A central highlight is the 1976 work Triangle Between Infinities, on loan from MoMA, which illustrates the artist’s early mastery of geometric abstraction. By intentionally opening the vertex of his triangles, Kim moved away from rigid structures toward a visual language defined by openness and connection.

The SoHo Studio and the Coffee Cup Series

The retrospective also recreates the SoHo studio where Kim worked alongside his wife, artist Myong-Hi Kim, during the 1980s. This environment, populated by globes, books, and natural specimens, offers context for his Coffee Cup Series. Comprising 85 individual pieces, the series reclaims the iconic Greek-style paper coffee cup of New York diners as a canvas for exploring the immigrant experience and cultural displacement. According to Hee Sung Cho, the center’s program director, the city served as a vital catalyst for Kim’s visual language, pushing his work beyond personal narrative into a broader exploration of civilization and existence.