A lot of Jieun June Kim’s paintings are inspired by Korean folk art. One of her favourite Korean folklore characters is Horangi, the tiger. The tiger is the symbolic protector, guarding against the three disasters (fire, flood and wind) and the three agonies (war, famine and pestilence). During these challenging times, Kim felt the tiger to be a perfect source of inspiration.
Jieun June Kim is a Toronto-based, Korean-born painter, muralist and art producer. She graduated with honours from Duksung Women’s University in Korea, receiving a BFA in Korean Painting and Fashion Design, and received her MFA in Visual Arts from Washington University in St. Louis. She has exhibited her paintings around the world since 2010 at notable galleries and events, exploring the idea of “home” as an immigrant. Kim is also interested in creating a safe space through street art, and has created numerous murals with various arts organizations, such as Street Art Toronto as well as for corporate partners, including Samsung, Up Canada and Collective Arts Brewery. She is a recipient of the Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship grant from the Toronto Arts Council (2018) and was one of the artists in residence at the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto (2019). She is the co-founder of KJ Bit Collective, which creates murals and street art events, and is a member of the Mural Routes advisory committee team.