‘Dark Elegance’
ImageNation London 2025
In 2025, Kim was invited to exhibit his photograph Dark Elegance at ImageNation London.
Dark Elegance forms part of Kim‘s ongoing exploration into storytelling through fashion photography, reinterpreting iconic characters to question traditional narratives. This work re-envisions the arc of the Black Swan from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, shifting the focus onto the complexity and depth of the villain.
Central to Kim’s practice is a fascination with reimagining familiar tales while addressing the cultural blind spots often present in both classical ballet and high fashion. In Dark Elegance, the minimal colour palette is used as a deliberate tool to heighten the commanding presence of Black African dancer Yos Clark: a powerful image in a sphere where Black performers have long been underrepresented.
Working closely with his creative team; Make-Up by Meguni Matsuno, Hair by Sheree-Jourdan, Shoes by Weilong Xie, Kim constructs a world where costume, pose, and contrasting tension build an intricate character study. The result transcends a simple retelling, offering a layered portrait that is both elegant and unsettling, echoing the duality of grace and menace at the heart of the Black Swan.
