Minjae Kim Makes a Highly Anticipated Return to L.A.’s Marta Gallery

With “Phantom–22,” running from April 19 to May 31, Seoul-born, Brooklyn-based artist and designer Minjae Kim makes his highly anticipated solo return to L.A. gallery Marta, and looks to Los Angeles itself as inspiration. Anchored in cultural references (from a title that nods to P-22, the mountain lion who resided in Griffith Park from 2012 until 2022, to architectural creations that stem from the scenography of Buster Keaton’s L.A.-based silent film One Week, and an undercurrent rooted in the tactile transience of the city), the exhibition marks Kim’s most ambitious to date.

Kim presents a series of works at the confluence of sculpture, set decoration, production design, and prop-making, with materials ranging from wood and paint, to clay, plaster, aluminum, and fiberglass. These manifest as sculptural representations of mountain lions and palm fronds. Coupled with faux facades and mock automobiles, the scene Kim assembles for “Phantom-22” is a reflection of the outside world, one where flora and fauna converse with the city. The exhibit, which follows his 2021 debut, “I Was Evening All Afternoon,” also takes observation points into consideration—visitors will be invited to choose between perching upon three barstools with their velveteen upholstery or four chairs-with-slings to take it all in.