Soonhwa Kang | studio soona
Visual artist / Designer
I am a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in The Netherlands, with a deep passion for cultural storytelling and artistic exploration.
With over 20 years of experience as a visual designer for the cultural sector and socially engaged organizations from Tokyo, Singapore, NYC to Amsterdam, I have honed my ability to conceptualize projects that resonate with core values and attention to detail. While design remains an important part of my background, my primary focus has shifted to creating and sharing art.
As a visual artist, I explore the interplay between cultural heritage and identity, drawing inspiration from my experience as a third-generation Korean Japanese. My work combines ceramic objects and ink paintings, reflecting themes of memory, ritual, and connection. I have exhibited my art in unconventional spaces across Amsterdam,Haarlem and Wassenaar embracing settings that invite dialogue and reflection.
In addition to creating art, I am dedicated to fostering creativity in others. I curate collective exhibitions for emerging artists, bringing diverse voices together, and I lead Sumi-e workshops, sharing traditional East Asian ink painting techniques and philosophy.
Biography
I was born and raised in Japan as a third-generation Korean-Japanese. From a young age, I witnessed how Japanese media would react whenever news about South or North Korea was reported. Seeing stories of hate crimes in the news and newspapers, I often felt a deep sense of unease and complex emotions as someone standing between two cultures.
I attended school using my Korean name, but I also knew that many Korean-Japanese people lived under Japanese names, hiding their roots. While I constantly reflected on my own identity, I also felt great joy and pride in learning about both Korean and Japanese cultures and histories from my parents.
I began my career as a graphic designer in the film industry, finding fulfillment in creating visuals that promote cultural expression.
However, as I spent more years living away from my homeland, I developed a strong desire to share my personal story through visual expression. In the Netherlands, through studying ink painting and ceramics, my interest in the richness of Asian cultures and the unique traditions of East Asian countries deepened even further. This passion has driven me to share these cultural expressions in the Netherlands, which has led me to where I am today.
Now, as an artist and designer, I feel fortunate to share my unique experiences through my work. I believe that, no matter the circumstances, encountering diverse cultures can create opportunities for mutual understanding. I hope to be a bridge between Korea, Japan, and the Netherlands.
私は在日韓国人三世として日本で生まれ育ちました。幼い頃から、大韓民国や北朝鮮に関するニュースが報じられるたびに、日本のメディアが揺れ動く様子を目の当たりにしてきました。ニュースや新聞でヘイトクライムに触れるたび、二つの文化の間に立つ存在として、不安や複雑な感情を抱いていました。
私は韓国の名前で学校に通っていましたが、多くの在日韓国人が自分のルーツを隠し、日本名で生活していることも知っていました。自分のアイデンティティについて常に思いを巡らせる一方で、日本と韓国、両方の文化や歴史を両親から学べることに大きな喜びと誇りも感じていました。
私は映画業界でグラフィックデザイナーとしてキャリアをスタートし、文化を促進するビジュアルを制作することにやりがいを感じていました。
しかし、故郷を離れて暮らす年月が長くなるにつれ、個人としての自分自身の物語をビジュアル表現を通して共有したいという強い思いが芽生えました。オランダで墨絵や陶芸を学ぶ過程で、アジア全体の文化の豊かさや、東アジア各国が持つ固有の文化に対する関心がさらに深まりました。そして、それらの文化をオランダで共有したいという思いに突き動かされ、今に至ります。
現在、アーティスト兼デザイナーとして、自分のユニークな経験を作品を通じて共有できることを幸運に思っています。私は、どんな状況でも、多様な文化に触れることが、お互いを理解し合うきっかけを生むと信じています。そして、韓国、日本、オランダの間に橋を架ける存在となることを願っています。
“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.”
“Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign. But stories can also be used to empower, and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people. But stories can also repair that broken dignity.”
― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Artist statement
As a third-generation Korean-Japanese artist based in the Netherlands, my work reflects my heritage and the ancestral memorial ceremonies of my family. Growing up, I was immersed in rituals that honored our ancestors, from preparing special foods to offering prayers, sparking my fascination with memory, invisible presences, and cultural continuity.
In my ceramics and paintings, I explore themes of identity, memory, and belonging, employing traditional materials like ink and clay to bridge ancient rituals with contemporary art. Through subtle textures and muted hues, I aim to create works that invite quiet reflection and offer glimpses into Asian cultural practices, particularly those surrounding remembrance and respect for the deceased.
Living in the Netherlands, I feel a deep commitment to sharing these traditions, as they’re rarely seen here. By bringing them into my art, I hope to foster a visual dialogue around cultural preservation and identity.
My work has been exhibited in various galleries and spaces across Amsterdam, Haarlem, Zoetermeer, and Wassenaar, where I continue to convey complex cultural narratives shaped by my experiences and heritage.