Bottari to Biennale: Kimsooja's French Honour
In an art world that often celebrates spectacle, Kimsooja has spent four decades mastering the opposite: stillness. This summer, the French government recognised the quiet force of her practice by awarding her the Officier medal of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Presented at the French ambassador’s residence in Seoul, the honour places her among the few international artists elevated to this rank, in acknowledgement of her role in shaping cultural dialogue between Korea, France, and beyond.
Kimjoonsa receives the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Photo by Kim Jin-sol.
The Order of Arts and Letters, created in 1957, is one of France’s most prestigious cultural distinctions, reserved for those whose work has left an indelible mark on the world of art and ideas. To be promoted from Chevalier (Knight) to Officier (Officer) is not only recognition of Kimsooja’s long-standing relationship with France, but also an acknowledgment of the universal resonance of her work — art that moves fluidly across disciplines, borders, and languages. It situates her in the company of writers, musicians, and visual artists whose practices have shaped cultural history, reinforcing her position as a figure who embodies both national identity and international exchange.
Kimsooja: To Breathe – Mokum, Oude Kerk, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Photo by Natascha Libbert.
France has long been Kimsooja’s second home. Since her studies at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1984, she has returned repeatedly to Paris — most recently in 2024, when she became the first Korean artist to be granted Carte blanche at the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection. There, her exhibition To Breathe – Constellation turned light and colour into architecture, inviting visitors to pause, inhale, and exhale within a constellation of her making...
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Image Credits:
LEAD: Kimsooja, To Breathe, (2015). Installation view, Centre Pompidou-Metz.
Photo: via Radja Photographie
All other images as credited in photo captions.