Canopy of Blooms

Artist: Taekyung Kim, Suzy

Date: 2021

Medium: Mixed media on wood panel

Artwork Dimensions: 119 x 53 x 2 in.

County Department: Mental Health

Artwork Site: Vermont Corridor Building

Supervisorial District: 2

Current Status: On view

About the Artwork: Canopy of Blooms is located at the entrance to the Vermont Corridor building, which is the location of the Department of Mental Health and Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS) headquarters in Koreatown. The painting reflects the unique identity of the Korean community in Los Angeles through an infinity loop of blooming native plants and wildflowers that represent the resilience and determination of immigrants. Layers of paint, gold and silver leaf, and paper create a tapestry of radiating colors. Occasionally visible within the layers of the artwork is a speech on Korean Hanji paper by Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, an early leader of Korean American immigrants. Published in 1920, the speech advocated sovereignty from Japanese colonial rule and lauded the Korean independent spirit. This meditative piece invites viewers to find moments of harmony, hope, and healing under a canopy of wildflowers and celebrates the life stories of Koreatown residents across generations.

About the Artist: Suzy Taekyung Kim was born in Daegu, South Korea and lives in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design and a Bachelor of Education from University of British Columbia. She has a Master of Arts in Art Education from New York University. She is the recipient of several national and international awards including the Scholarship for North American Scholars. Her works can be found in a number of private and corporate collections in Canada, Great Britain, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. She has completed several public art commissions, including projects for the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art Program in collaboration with the NYC School Construction Authority and the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha, Nebraska. To learn more visit: http://www.suzytaekyungkim.com/