Judges' comments

Dahee Kim's illustrations are like a family photo album, where happy moments and memories are stored. Exremely valuable and very personal. Here, the family is a separate little world, where it is safe. The world where you can be yourself and not feel lonely. I also really like the meditative manner in which the author tells her stories. Thank you for reminding me of what is really important in life.

Ekaterina Borodacheva

The color palette is undeniably appealing—soft, inviting, and harmonious. But overall, the composition feels too flat. There’s a lack of visual tension or hierarchy—my eye doesn’t know where to land. Even in a calm or flattened scene, there should still be intentional flow or contrast guiding the viewer. Here, everything sits on the same level, and the lack of clear focal points makes it visually passive. It needs stronger structure or spatial rhythm to bring it to life.

Max Liu

The composition of the mid-ground is particularly imaginative. Although digitally painted, it successfully captures the textured feel of layered pigments. The artwork records the beauty of travel and the emotions of the moment, which resonates with viewers and may evoke their own cherished memories.

Moon Q

Dahee Kim’s illustrations explore the poetic scale of daily life by placing miniature figures in large, open environments. Through bold color blocks and gentle textures, each scene becomes a stage for calm, affectionate moments. The compositions emphasize space, giving the characters room to breathe, rest, and connect — both with each other and with their surroundings. This series successfully reframes ordinary settings as spaces of quiet celebration, suggesting that joy and beauty can be found in the simplest of rituals.

Nadiia Zhelieznova

The artist captures the fleeting moments of life, the impressions in her mind and the tenderness in her heart on the canvas, sharing with the viewer the joy of a tranquil and beautiful existence. For me, the images in the paintings subtly connect human beings with nature and, at the same time, symbolise a positive state of mind.

Yimin Wang

NEXT PAGE