South Korean Nonagenarian Sculptor Finally Recognized as Pioneer

When I first read about Kim Soon-im, the 94-year-old South Korean sculptor whose chainsaw-carved wooden figures are finally gaining global recognition after decades of obscurity, my mind didn’t immediately head to gallery openings in Seoul or Paris. Instead, I found myself thinking about the weathered oak benches along Chicago’s 606 Trail, the repurposed warehouse studios in Pilsen, and the quiet revolution happening in neighborhood makerspaces where residents are reclaiming industrial materials to tell their own stories. Kim’s philosophy—that her chainsaw is an extension of her body, that the tool and the artist are inseparable—resonates deeply in a city where industrial heritage meets grassroots creativity, especially as Chicagoans increasingly look to repurpose remnants of its manufacturing past into meaningful public art and community-driven design.

This isn’t just about venerating an elderly artist’s perseverance, though her story is undeniably powerful. Kim’s perform embodies a shift in how we perceive artistic legitimacy—moving beyond traditional academies and into the realm of embodied practice, where years of physical engagement with material forge a vocabulary that no MFA program can replicate. In Chicago, a city built on steel, lumber, and labor, this idea finds fertile ground. Think of the South Side’s historic Packing House District, where former meatpacking facilities now house artist collectives like the Union Park Arts Guild, or the way sculptors in Bridgeport routinely source reclaimed steel from decommissioned bridges along the Chicago River to create pieces that speak to both resilience and renewal. Kim’s chainsaw sculptures, often depicting figures in mid-motion—dancers, laborers, mothers—mirror the kinetic energy we see in local works like Eduardo Kac’s Natural History of the Enigma at the Museum of Contemporary Art, though hers emerge from a far more intimate, almost primal dialogue between maker and medium.

What makes Kim’s recognition particularly timely is how it aligns with Chicago’s growing investment in neighborhood-based arts infrastructure. Over the past five years, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) has expanded its Neighborhood Arts Program, directing grants toward hyper-local projects that prioritize material reuse and community storytelling. Similarly, the Metropolitan Planning Council’s Industrial Corridor Revival Initiative has begun partnering with groups like Theaster Gates’ Rebuild Foundation to transform vacant industrial sites into cultural incubators—spaces where welding torches, plasma cutters, and yes, even chainsaws, turn into tools of reclamation rather than destruction. These efforts aren’t just aesthetic; they’re economic. A 2023 study by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that every dollar invested in Chicago’s creative reuse sector generates $3.70 in local economic activity, particularly in neighborhoods like Englewood and Austin where vacant industrial lots outnumber active businesses by nearly three to one.

Of course, challenges remain. Safety regulations around power tools in shared spaces can be prohibitive, and liability concerns often deter property owners from hosting outdoor sculpture projects. Yet innovative models are emerging. The Chicago Park District’s Art in the Parks program now offers streamlined permitting for temporary installations using reclaimed materials, provided artists partner with certified safety consultants—a direct response to feedback from collectives like the Chicago Sculpture International. Meanwhile, organizations such as Material Exchange Chicago (MEC) are bridging the gap between demolition sites and artists, diverting tons of usable wood and metal from landfills each year while providing low-cost materials to community workshops in neighborhoods like Little Village and North Lawndale. This circular approach echoes Kim’s own ethos: nothing is waste if it can be shaped into meaning.

Given my background in urban cultural economics, if this trend toward material-driven, embodied artistry impacts you in Chicago, here are the three types of local professionals you need to know about when seeking to bring similar projects to life in your neighborhood or workplace.

First, look for Community Fabrication Stewards—not just general contractors, but specialists who understand both the structural implications of working with reclaimed industrial materials and the social dynamics of public art projects. These professionals often come from backgrounds in historic preservation or industrial design and are fluent in navigating Chicago’s Building Code (particularly Chapter 14-4 on public safety) while also facilitating community workshops. The best ones will have documented partnerships with groups like the Chicago Public Art Group or the Neighborhood Space Program and can show you how they’ve helped transform vacant lots along the Bloomingdale Trail into interactive sculpture gardens without compromising safety or accessibility.

Second, consider Material Sourcing Archivists—individuals or collectives who specialize in tracing the provenance of reclaimed wood, metal, or fabric from specific Chicago demolitions or decommissioned facilities. Unlike generic salvage yards, these experts can tell you whether that oak beam came from a 1920s flophouse on State Street or a former Pullman factory railcar, adding layers of historical narrative to your piece. They typically collaborate with the Chicago History Museum’s industrial archives or the Landmarks Division of the Department of Planning and Development to verify sources, ensuring ethical reuse and often unlocking additional funding through heritage grants.

Third, engage Embodied Practice Facilitators—artists or therapists who guide participants in developing the kind of kinesthetic awareness Kim Soon-im describes, where the tool becomes an extension of the self. These aren’t just art instructors; they often have training in somatic practices, dance therapy, or occupational therapy and work to help residents overcome fear or intimidation when approaching powerful tools. Look for those affiliated with institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago’s Community Programs or the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, who can design progressive skill-building sequences—starting with hand tools and gradually introducing power equipment—while fostering a mindset of material dialogue rather than domination.

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