Kate Bae is an independent curator and immigrant artist who works on site-specific installations and paintings based in New York City. Bae founded Women's Cactus for the Arts and has exhibited nationally and internationally. She is a grant recipient of the Ora Lerman Trust, Creative Capital Professional Development Program, and the NYFA Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program. She has attended many residencies, including the Golden Foundation and Lower East Side Printshop Keyholder Residency.
Published on March 3rd, 2024. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What are you working on these days?
My artistic exploration has recently taken a new direction, delving into the world of acrylic paintings on canvas. This shift occurred following my involvement in the exhibition "Homo Migratio" at the Jeju Museum of Art. Inspired by the exhibition's themes, I felt compelled to revisit my long-dormant passion for painting. In my current approach, I'm experimenting with another weird technique, treating the canvases more like drawing paper sheets. I lay down layers of paint, both drawn and brushed, creating a textured and expressive surface. The feel of the brush, once so familiar, now feels somewhat alien, and I'm enjoying the process of rediscovering this tool and its techniques.
What has been going well for you in your art career and life recently?
2023 was a whirlwind of transformative experiences for me. Spending five life-changing months on Jeju Island, South Korea, set the stage for an extraordinary turn of events. During a serendipitous encounter while swimming, I met a Korean man who would become my husband and life partner. This chance encounter revealed that he was the visionary founder of Eco Action Forest, an art organization passionately dedicated to addressing climate change and environmental issues. My life took an exhilarating turn as I obtained a spouse visa and embarked on a new chapter in Korea, starting in April 2023. Together, my husband and I embarked on a collaborative endeavor titled Project on Crisis, a fusion of Korean and American artistic perspectives. The culmination of our efforts was a captivating pop-up exhibition and discussion held in nyc, with our story scheduled to be presented at the UN Summit (COP28) in Dubai this December. This remarkable journey has turned my life upside down, filling it with enriching experiences and insights as I navigate the process of relocating to my husband's home country. After 28 years away from the United States, I find myself immersed in relearning and reassessing all that I thought I knew.
What is something new that you have discovered this past year that is meaningful or helpful for you?
My return to Korea after COVID ignited a profound exploration of human connection, fostering new ideas and collaborations. Inspired by the transformative power of art, Women's Cactus for the Arts, my collective founded in NYC, and Eco Action Forest, established by my husband Adrian Dongmin Choi in Korea, joined forces to create Project on Crisis: Climatlog. The project utilized white planting pots crafted from recycled silo plastic wraps as blank canvases, connecting artists in Korea and the USA through a theme – addressing pressing social and environmental issues. The project kicked off with ten New York artists creating stunning artworks, showcased in an NYC pop-up exhibition and an accompanying artists' discussion. I envision a year filled with collaborative workshops, exhibitions, and virtual events, all anchored by a sustainable art model that supports artists, fosters community engagement and promotes environmental responsibility. To achieve this ambitious goal, we will explore various funding options, including grants, sponsorships, and crowdfunding campaigns.
Briefly walk us through your process of making art or thinking through a new project, focusing on what's most important to you as you create.
I find myself at the crossroads of artistic exploration, simultaneously embarking on a new project and seeking to integrate the successes of my previous endeavors. While this balancing act presents its challenges, I embrace the opportunity to learn and evolve as an artist. The technique of peeling off paint and utilizing acrylic skin has proven to be a successful, particularly when the artwork stands alone, unencumbered by the confines of a canvas. This realization, however, has introduced the challenge of seamlessly integrating this technique into my canvas-based works. I am confident that this obstacle will be overcome as I delve deeper into experimentation, patiently unraveling the intricacies of this technique and its harmonious integration with the canvas. Each step forward, each experiment undertaken, brings me closer to resolving this creative conundrum. As I navigate this juncture in my artistic journey, I embrace the inherent challenges and view them as catalysts for growth. With unwavering determination and a spirit of exploration, I am committed to unlocking the full potential of this innovative technique, seamlessly blending it with my canvas-based paintings.
Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?
I am finding curation quite interesting after the Project on Crisis experience. Initially, I found it daunting to speak up my mind, accustomed to the solitude of my artistic practice. However, the formation of Women's Cactus for the Arts, a collective I founded, marked a turning point in overcoming my reticence. It all began with the desire to curate an exhibition titled "How to Care for the Succulent," an exploration of beauty, sincerity, and excess within the decorative arts. I envisioned bringing together a specific group of artists, but couldn't fathom how to achieve this without taking the reins myself. The collective's name itself arose from a delightful misunderstanding. I am an immigrant artist after all, had long misheard the word "caucus" as "cactus," drawing a parallel between the resilience of women and the adaptability of cacti. This playful linguistic error sparked the creation of Women's Cactus for the Arts, uniting diverse artistic voices into a harmonious ensemble. This initial curatorial endeavor laid the foundation for my realization that by initiating or participating in cultural exchange projects, we can foster cross-border connections among artists, scholars, and community members.
What are you working on these days?
My artistic exploration has recently taken a new direction, delving into the world of acrylic paintings on canvas. This shift occurred following my involvement in the exhibition "Homo Migratio" at the Jeju Museum of Art. Inspired by the exhibition's themes, I felt compelled to revisit my long-dormant passion for painting. In my current approach, I'm experimenting with another weird technique, treating the canvases more like drawing paper sheets. I lay down layers of paint, both drawn and brushed, creating a textured and expressive surface. The feel of the brush, once so familiar, now feels somewhat alien, and I'm enjoying the process of rediscovering this tool and its techniques.
What has been going well for you in your art career and life recently?
2023 was a whirlwind of transformative experiences for me. Spending five life-changing months on Jeju Island, South Korea, set the stage for an extraordinary turn of events. During a serendipitous encounter while swimming, I met a Korean man who would become my husband and life partner. This chance encounter revealed that he was the visionary founder of Eco Action Forest, an art organization passionately dedicated to addressing climate change and environmental issues. My life took an exhilarating turn as I obtained a spouse visa and embarked on a new chapter in Korea, starting in April 2023. Together, my husband and I embarked on a collaborative endeavor titled Project on Crisis, a fusion of Korean and American artistic perspectives. The culmination of our efforts was a captivating pop-up exhibition and discussion held in nyc, with our story scheduled to be presented at the UN Summit (COP28) in Dubai this December. This remarkable journey has turned my life upside down, filling it with enriching experiences and insights as I navigate the process of relocating to my husband's home country. After 28 years away from the United States, I find myself immersed in relearning and reassessing all that I thought I knew.
What is something new that you have discovered this past year that is meaningful or helpful for you?
My return to Korea after COVID ignited a profound exploration of human connection, fostering new ideas and collaborations. Inspired by the transformative power of art, Women's Cactus for the Arts, my collective founded in NYC, and Eco Action Forest, established by my husband Adrian Dongmin Choi in Korea, joined forces to create Project on Crisis: Climatlog. The project utilized white planting pots crafted from recycled silo plastic wraps as blank canvases, connecting artists in Korea and the USA through a theme – addressing pressing social and environmental issues. The project kicked off with ten New York artists creating stunning artworks, showcased in an NYC pop-up exhibition and an accompanying artists' discussion. I envision a year filled with collaborative workshops, exhibitions, and virtual events, all anchored by a sustainable art model that supports artists, fosters community engagement and promotes environmental responsibility. To achieve this ambitious goal, we will explore various funding options, including grants, sponsorships, and crowdfunding campaigns.
Briefly walk us through your process of making art or thinking through a new project, focusing on what's most important to you as you create.
I find myself at the crossroads of artistic exploration, simultaneously embarking on a new project and seeking to integrate the successes of my previous endeavors. While this balancing act presents its challenges, I embrace the opportunity to learn and evolve as an artist. The technique of peeling off paint and utilizing acrylic skin has proven to be a successful, particularly when the artwork stands alone, unencumbered by the confines of a canvas. This realization, however, has introduced the challenge of seamlessly integrating this technique into my canvas-based works. I am confident that this obstacle will be overcome as I delve deeper into experimentation, patiently unraveling the intricacies of this technique and its harmonious integration with the canvas. Each step forward, each experiment undertaken, brings me closer to resolving this creative conundrum. As I navigate this juncture in my artistic journey, I embrace the inherent challenges and view them as catalysts for growth. With unwavering determination and a spirit of exploration, I am committed to unlocking the full potential of this innovative technique, seamlessly blending it with my canvas-based paintings.
Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?
I am finding curation quite interesting after the Project on Crisis experience. Initially, I found it daunting to speak up my mind, accustomed to the solitude of my artistic practice. However, the formation of Women's Cactus for the Arts, a collective I founded, marked a turning point in overcoming my reticence. It all began with the desire to curate an exhibition titled "How to Care for the Succulent," an exploration of beauty, sincerity, and excess within the decorative arts. I envisioned bringing together a specific group of artists, but couldn't fathom how to achieve this without taking the reins myself. The collective's name itself arose from a delightful misunderstanding. I am an immigrant artist after all, had long misheard the word "caucus" as "cactus," drawing a parallel between the resilience of women and the adaptability of cacti. This playful linguistic error sparked the creation of Women's Cactus for the Arts, uniting diverse artistic voices into a harmonious ensemble. This initial curatorial endeavor laid the foundation for my realization that by initiating or participating in cultural exchange projects, we can foster cross-border connections among artists, scholars, and community members.
Find Kate Bae on Instagram