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Byron Kim, 〈Synecdoche〉, 1991-.

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On December 3, the Estate of Robert De Niro, Sr. announced Korean-American artist Byron Kim as the winner of the 2019 Robert De Niro, Sr. Prize. The New York-based artist, who is known for his ongoing project Synecdoche (1991-), which consists of hundreds of abstract panel paintings of human skin tones and was exhibited in the 1993 Whitney Biennial, will receive $25,000. Born in La Jolla, California in 1961, Kim earned his BA at Yale University, where he serves as a senior critic. His minimalistic colored paintings appear to be abstract at first glance, but embody his personal experiences in a larger cultural confrontation. His work has been featured in a number of major group shows including the Sharjah Biennial and the Gwangju Biennale. He has recently mounted solo exhibitions at Contemporary Art Cleveland, Ohio (2019) and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (2015). The prize is administered by the Tribeca Film Institute, which was cofounded by De Niro.