Genesis (1986) depicts five water droplets dripping down the surface of the canvas, each leaving behind a trace--apart from the lone droplet on the far left. Just before the droplets reach the edge, Kim suspends them in time, leaving their future unknown. The leftmost droplet, lacking a trail, suggests a new beginning unburdened by the past, though still facing the same uncertainty. This interplay of presence and absence invites reflection on memory, transience, and the passage of time. As John Yau writes, “In a world governed by gravity, the outcome for these drops would be unavoidable... By countering gravity and suspending the waterdrops, Kim stops time. Poised on the brink of dissolution, the drops become visual metaphors for human existence. People share with these water drops their uniqueness, vulnerability, and preciousness.” [1]

Genesis (1986), was completed during an era of significant geopolitical shifts in Korea, which influenced Kim Tschang-Yeul's artistic development. The 1980s was a time of heightened political tensions, sparked by several events such as the assassination of General Park Chung-hee in 1979, the declaration of martial law and student demonstrations, as well as the 1988 Summer Olympics. This phase in Kim’s artistic practice is also characterized by his use of oil paint, which produced bolder and more vibrant hues. His notable use of raw brushstrokes on brown jute anticipates the artist’s later paintings, which incorporate Chinese calligraphic characters as a background to the water drops.

1. John Yau in Kim Tschang-Yeul (New York: Gregory R. Miller & Co. and Tina Kim Gallery, 2022), p. 8.