Life & Work with Jieun Beth Kim

Jieun Beth Kim

Growing up in various places and dealing with an undefined identity, I understood the feeling of being separated from the larger community. This feeling of marginalization became the catalyst for my art and for exploring my identity for self-discovery. Finding empowerment in my identity became the bridge to a larger community, helping me build relationships with others and support my community. Although lacking a clear sense of identity presented challenges, they were disguised blessings. My journey of self-discovery has given me a great deal of wisdom and insight, which I have used to inspire others in my art, teaching, and business. As someone who has experienced a sense of not belonging, I can relate to those who feel the same way and understand their feelings. Even when I felt marginalized and isolated, I found beauty in the journey of self-discovery, which has brought me much growth and self-awareness. I have come to appreciate my unique authenticity and now claim self-empowerment by accepting my differences.

I explore the layers of identity through my art practice. I delved into exploring how we form our identities, observing the influences of perceptions and beliefs in defining ourselves. Creating extensive bodies of work over the past decade, I have used diverse mediums, aesthetics, and subject matters to express the intricacies of dynamic identity formation. My research strengthened my belief that every being is precious in its singular expression, finding appreciation in differences to nurture the community’s diversity. I apply my research to making curriculums for my teachings and building a business model to nurture community growth. My instructions emphasize increased self-awareness to help my students develop stronger characters rooted in authenticity. I intend to raise confidence in their diverse personalities, interests, and desires for life to help them establish a stronger foundation in their core values.Hi, Jieun Beth; we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

A young Korean couple immigrated to the United States seeking opportunities to broaden their horizons and provide a better future for their children. They were my parents, and I was born in College Station, TX. At the same time, my father completed his engineering graduate program at Texas A&M. However, my family soon moved to Los Angeles, California, a year later, and ever since then, my life has been a constant cycle of moving from one place to another, sometimes even to a new country. The frequent relocations and my nomadic spirit shaped my destiny, so my Identity is naturally ambiguous. Although the changes were exciting, I yearned to establish a deeper connection with communities and clarify my Identity. To return to my roots, I returned to Texas for my Master’s in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin. Having lived in Austin for ten years, the most extended place I’ve ever lived, I established myself in the soil I was born in and matured so much by building stronger relationships with my community. My experiences inspired me to explore the idea of Identity in my art. I have exhibited beyond locally, staging in international venues to share my perspectives on the layers of Identity. Through my creative practice, I found a profound connection to my authentic Identity, gaining introspection and increasing self-awareness. I apply my research to my teaching and business structures to raise self-acceptance and appreciation for differences, intending to mitigate the social separation and divided community.

Growing up in various places and dealing with an undefined identity, I understood the feeling of being separated from the larger community. This feeling of marginalization became the catalyst for my art and for exploring my Identity for self-discovery. Finding empowerment in my Identity became the bridge to a larger community, helping me build relationships with others and my community. Although lacking a clear sense of Identity presented challenges, they were disguised blessings. My journey of self-discovery has given me a great deal of wisdom and insight, which I have used to inspire others in my art, teaching, and business. As someone who has experienced a sense of not belonging, I can relate to those who feel the same way and understand their feelings. Even when I felt marginalized and isolated, I found beauty in the journey of self-discovery, which has brought me much growth and self-awareness. I have come to appreciate my unique authenticity and now claim self-empowerment by accepting my differences. As the saying goes, “The darkest hour is just before the dawn,” and I have learned to find wisdom and insight in the most challenging moments of my life.

Beginning as a tool to discover my personal stories, I have explored the layers of an Identity through my Art practice. I delved into exploring how we form our Identities, observing the influences of perceptions and beliefs in defining ourselves. Creating extensive bodies of work over the past decade, I have used diverse mediums, aesthetics, and subject matters to express the intricacies of dynamic identity formation. Exploring themes of time, change, and impermanence, I looked at the fleeting beauty of our bodies, the fictitious aspect of our memories, and how our authentic Identity remains undefined. It became apparent how our identities are unique in complexity and intricately designed, making every being a precious manifestation of life. At the same time, grappling with the transience of life and Identity fading over time, we share a universal destiny, equal in this journey as a collective identity. Beginning with my self-discovery and self-acceptance, I have worked on embracing my authenticity with the hope of inspiring empowerment as I share my stories with others. My research strengthened my belief that every being is precious in its singular expression, finding appreciation in differences to nurture the community’s diversity. I apply my research to making curriculums for my teachings and building a business model to nurture community growth. My instructions emphasize increased self-awareness to help my students develop stronger characters rooted in authenticity. I intend to raise confidence in their diverse personalities, interests, and desires for life to help them establish a stronger foundation in their core values. Implementing educational components to my business model, I offer culinary internships to high school students at a local vocational school. I shared about Korean cuisine and developed a recipe with students based on my mother’s cooking to sell the products. The portion of the proceed is returned to the school development, and we have successfully offered a job to one of the students in the past, acting as a jumping board for his next advancement in his career.

From 2018 – 2021, I was the inaugural Exhibit Coordinator at the Austin Central Library, chosen as one of the Greatest Places in the World by TIME Magazine. I started the exhibition program from the ground up, wearing many hats as a director, curator, art installer, and art administrator. I built a creative platform to amplify diverse voices while introducing a wide range of creative expressions to the Greater Austin public. During my tenure, I partnered with 80 partners to produce 50 exhibits and seven permanent and temporary public arts. I worked rigorously to host as many exhibits as possible, fulfilling my mission to contribute to the growing Visual Arts Community. After many years of contemplating, I decided to leave my position, embark on my journey to a freelance artist, and grow my business. My loved ones raised skepticism, but I grappled with deep-seated doubts and insecurity, questioning my decision more than anyone. When I finally leaped, I focused on finding inner security and stability independent from my external circumstances. After a few years of deep introspection, I have no regrets, as the past journey has brought up many fears that I was unconscious of and allowed to face and overcome. The process has been challenging, but in the end, I feel empowered. Previously, the tasks to reach my goals seemed like an insurmountable mountain. Still, as I dismantled layers of burdening emotion, I learned to appreciate every step of my hike, knowing I would reach the top one day, looking forward to what I would see up there.