The monochromatic drawings of illustrator Henn Kim have been described as “poetic”, “minimalist” and “surreal”. When the South Korean artist was 17 years old, she stopped speaking. Kim struggled with crippling depression and insomnia during her late teens, which caused her to withdraw from the friends and family around her.
Art ultimately proved to be her saving grace. She spent her sleepless nights drawing. Besides being a form of therapy, it also helped Kim perfect her skills. “My head was full of words and images that I couldn’t release through my mouth – only through my art”, said the artist in an interview with the BBC.
And she never stopped drawing since. Her creations speak of love, dreams, and fantasies, all in an instantly recognizable style. The themes and aesthetics clearly strike a chord with many people, as Kim gained a following of 870,000 on Instagram. Her work was even featured on the cover of Sally Rooney’s 2018 bestseller Normal People. Two years before that, in 2016, she utilized her talent in a UNICEF project, in which she depicted the impact of pollution on children’s health.
To this day, Kim draws peace and joy from her artwork. Below, you can get a glimpse into the magical black and white world of her illustrations. Follow her Instagram for more.
