Kim Sunwoo

Through a grouping of three original paintings and three editions, Kim Sunwoo’s exclusive release with Dropshop highlights the artist’s signature dodo bird. Originally a flightless bird from an island off the coast of Mauritius, the dodo became complacent and forgot its ability to fly, leading to its extinction over 300 years ago. In this story, Kim Sunwoo found a message for modern humans. Just as the dodo gave up its identity as a bird, humans can become complacent, accepting the world's standards and values without question, and one day may forget what is important.

Selected for a travel grant from the Ilhyun Museum of Art in South Korea, Kim Sunwoo traveled to Mauritius in 2015 to conduct research on the bird. Over the past decade, the dodo has served as a visual metaphor to tell a story about contemporary dreams, possibilities, and freedom.

While the word Dodo means dumb, originating from the Portuguese sailors who discovered their flightless ness, the artist thinks of the dodos in his artwork as “eggs” that hold the potential to soar again. Although they are long extinct, these dodos have been reborn on canvas and have embarked on a new journey full of wonderful adventures meant to inspire the viewer with their endless imagination and sparkle.