Small Pause
Rami Kim is a Los Angeles based artist and ceramicist. She studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) and UCLA. Pushing boundaries of ceramic, she focuses on handcrafting sculptural and functional ceramic objects. With her background in animation, her work is whimsical, poetic and animated. Her inspiration comes from organic shapes, nature, feelings, simplicity, and of course, people.
Kim began a series of blob sculptures in 2017 so called "Blobby" based upon her interest in capturing the moment of flowing and moving in a form of clay. Kim's made up word "Blobby" ( blob + baby ) is a living thing in her imagination. She currently works out of her studio in Glendale, CA.
Small Pause
“Small Pause” is a collection of the joys of life. This show consists of small to medium sized selected ceramic sculptures and drawings on paper.
Each rounded and bubbly Blobby (Blob + Baby) is a baby with life and a member of this world. Starting from a round droplet of water, Blobby wriggles like a sprout in spring rain after a long winter has passed. Then it grows, flows, moves, faces and overcomes obstacles and finally becomes a member of this society. Each has its own struggles to survive. But they still go on to live in this world. Each of these Blobbies are different in shape, size, and color. However, in the end, everyone is a precious living thing and they harmonize each other.
My inspiration comes from people, or anything that has a life. Each Blobby is built using a coiling method. I love organic shapes and this method allows me to achieve the result I want. Blobby can never and shouldn't be perfect in shape, but they are beautiful as they are, just like us. In my practice, I wanted to express the value of life, respect for each other, conflict, harmony, and blending into the world through the eyes of these simple Blobbies.
I also have several porcelain lady sculptures. When I started working in clay in 2014, I made an army of porcelain women with blue polka dots all over their bodies. These blue dots were painted for decoration at that time, but when one friend asked me if they were ill (because they were covered in blue dots), I realized that it could be seen differently to others. So I started making more polka dot ladies to show that the difference can be beautiful.
All of my work is made to hold and look at. If you’d like, you can carefully hold and touch my work.
Born in Seoul, Korea.
UCLA Animation Workshop September 2011- 2014 M.F.A., Animation
California Institute of the Arts ( Cal Arts ) 2000- 2004 B.F.A., Character Animation
