Statement

My work begins with materials that have been used and are now discarded or considered no longer useful. I wash, cut, layer, and machine-stitch plastic packaging, fabric remnants, paper, and other everyday scraps into works ranging from small pins and sculptural objects to large-scale installations. Through repetition, small and irregular fragments gradually gather into larger, stronger forms, taking on new structure and meaning.
This process connects naturally to jogakbo, the Korean tradition of joining leftover pieces of fabric into larger cloths. Its spirit of resourcefulness, patience, and care reflects both my cultural background and my belief that even the smallest fragment can become part of a larger whole. Rather than relying on new materials, I focus on discovering the possibilities within what is already around me and finding ways to use it again.
Through stitching, layering, and assembly, I explore how fragile and temporary materials can become stronger and more dimensional. I combine fabric and plastic packaging with paper and plastic containers, while transparent materials allow light and shadow to shift through the surrounding space. Printed surfaces, visible seams, and other traces of the original materials remain present in the work.
My practice reflects on identity, migration, memory, and environmental responsibility. By transforming discarded or undervalued materials into meaningful forms, I hope to encourage viewers to reconsider consumption and imagine a more sustainable relationship with the objects of everyday life.

Bio

Bella Yongok Kim is a Korean American mixed-media and fiber artist based in Gig Harbor, Washington. Drawing on the Korean textile tradition of jogakbo, she transforms discarded plastic packaging, fabric remnants, and thread into works ranging from small sculptural objects to large-scale installations.
Kim earned her B.F.A. and M.F.A. in Fiber Art and Design from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea. Before immigrating to the United States, she taught art and was active in Korean fiber art and craft organizations.
Her work has been exhibited at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Whatcom Museum, Northwest Quilt & Fiber Art Museum, Center on Contemporary Art, and the Leonor R. Fuller Gallery. Her work is included in the collections of the Burke Museum and the University of Washington.
Her recent honors include an Honorable Mention at the 14th Cheongju International Craft Biennale (2025), Juror’s Top Pick Award from the Center on Contemporary Art (2024), Artistic Achievement Award from the Korean American Coalition–Washington (2024), Best of Show from the Peninsula Art League (2024), and an Artist Trust GAP Award (2023). In 2025, she was selected for Shunpike’s Storefronts public art program in Seattle. She is currently developing a large-scale public artwork for the new Deschutes Public Library Central Library in Bend, Oregon.