Jung Kim has always liked art. His family moved from Korea to New York when he was 7. When he was older, he attended a festival there called Shad Fest, an annual tradition in Lambertville, New Jersey originally started to support the local arts scene. It was there that he made his first art purchase, at an auction to support the art program at the local high school.
When he got a job offer in 2007 to move to Columbus, he became excited as he started researching the city and what it had to offer. He had been wanting to move back to a city and while looking for a place to live, he came across The Jeffrey. The location was great and all of his reading talked about the Short North and the Short North Arts District being the place to be. For about the past year and a half, Jung has been consciously thinking about collecting artwork, supporting local Columbus artists and a few others’ whose work he enjoys.
He has been attending the C-Note shows, has bought three pieces there, and thinks it is a good stepping stone to purchasing art. “It’s a laid back setting and you know it is affordable,” said Jung.
Jung has also enjoyed going to the CCAD Student Art Sale (the next one is Saturday, December 3, 2011) and the OSU Urban Arts Space to see up and coming artists.
He enjoys being connected to the art world and has been very interested in the discussion concerning arts and economic development. For others wanting to learn more about the economy and market aspect of the art world, Jung recommends reading Don Thompson’s The $12 Million Stuffed Shark, The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art and Sarah Thornton’s Seven Days in the Art World. He hopes that others will really be there to support the arts and support people who are trying to make a living off of their craft.
Jung has also helped facilitate local artists into other markets; he connected Stephanie Rond to the 2 Rules Fine Art Gallery in Atlanta. It is great to have our local talent showcasing themselves elsewhere while also advertising Columbus.
Jung usually buys things he likes without necessarily having a wallspace in mind. However, he was looking for a larger piece to place above his couch. He first saw Boryana Rusenova Ina’s work at C-Note and loved the high level of detail. Later, he checked out her website and then went to a show she had at Art Access Gallery in Bexley where he ended up purchasing Show Me the Way. He has been thinking about getting a drawing of hers. Most of his purchases are well thought out and not impulse buys, because “you will have it forever” he says. One day, he would like to own a century or older drawing or such from an old artist.
He does plan on continuing to collect. Columbus is home to two world collectors – Les Wexner and Ron Pizzuti and Jung is especially excited to see the Pizzuti Collection. It is to open the Fall of 2012, in a permanent home in a newly renovated building in the Short North at 632 North Park Street.
Artists:
Rina Castelnuovo, Andrea Meislin Gallery, NYC
Jeremiah Caudill
Jennifer Harber, Moon Song Gallery
Boryana Rusenova Ina, Art Access Gallery, Bexley