ThisWeekendRoom are pleased to present Drink Water, the solo exhibition by Berlin and Seoul-based artist Jinhee Kim. Kim uses the everyday act of drinking water as a metaphor to contemplate the meaning of identity beyond distinctions of race, culture, gender, and language. Her paintings depict figures caught in seemingly repetitive and mundane routines: a face peering out from a crowd, a figure resting and leaning over a table next to an empty glass, and a seated figure gazing out a café window. However, a closer look reveals that these actions are not universally experienced in the same way. Instead, they are shaped by geographical, political, and social contexts unique to each individual. What may appear trivial to some could mean a great deal to others—a dream they have to fight for or reclaim.
Kim’s experience living abroad has shown her that these moments of perceived differences are rarely rooted in some memorable event. It is in the ordinary aspects of daily life—having breakfast, buying water at the supermarket, drinking coffee with a friend, or walking around in the neighborhood—that she senses the differences between herself and her surroundings. These daily routines reflect deeply ingrained values of each individual and, in turn, highlight the diverse ways people live their lives.