Esther Kim

In the vibrant arts districts of Toronto, Canada, there are artworks that uniquely capture the eye. Soft pastel colors fill the canvas, but upon closer inspection, the surface seems to come alive with bumps and ridges, much like a freshly baked cake. These are the works of Korean-Canadian artist Esther Kim (birth name Doyeon Kim), who goes by the moniker 'DOË'. Born in South Korea in 1995, raised in Vancouver, and now expanding her own artistic universe based in Toronto, her story unfolds like a warm, comforting fairy tale.

Looking at her work, a question naturally arises: is this a painting, or is it a sculpture? Critics define Esther Kim's art as "Sculptural Painting" or "Tactile Mixed Media Art," delicately straddling the boundary between the two- and three-dimensional. The artist herself states that while she works on a two-dimensional surface, she is interested in creating depth and drawing out a playful feeling through the materials themselves. The process of squeezing out paint like icing and molding shapes with lightweight clay to place on the canvas delightfully shatters the traditional framework of painting. Thanks to this process, viewers can simultaneously experience the tranquility of a flat image and the vitality of a three-dimensional object.