Nature Paintings That Soothe the Spirit: How The Biophilic Art of Mulgil Kim Is Bringing Wellness to Collectors

In our restless and overstimulated world, many collectors are gravitating towards nature paintings that introduce calm and visual stillness into the home. At the same time, biophilic art has become part of a wider cultural conversation about how our surroundings impact our mood and everyday wellbeing, reflecting a growing appetite for art that encourages clarity, rest and reflection.

At the centre of this conversation is Mulgil Kim, whose contemplative paintings transform grass, trees, water and sky into immersive landscapes. Rather than portraying nature as distant scenery, Kim captures the feeling of being inside it, with your eyes wide open. 

With her latest exhibition opening at Maddox Gallery this May, we explore why biophilic art is taking on renewed relevance in 2026, how nature paintings can influence the ambience of an interior, and why Mulgil Kim’s emotionally rich artworks are striking a chord with collectors.

Why Nature in Art Speaks to Us

Mulgil Kim, Croissant Trees (2025)

Long before the term “biophilic art” was coined, artists were turning to nature as a source of solace and reflection. From the atmospheric landscapes of the Romantic painters to the water lily studies of Claude Monet, artists have used forests, water, sky and plant life to reconsider their place within the natural world.

Research in environmental psychology suggests that visual exposure to natural forms, organic patterns and open landscapes can help reduce stress and mental fatigue, while improving focus and wellbeing. Even symbolic encounters with nature, whether through colour, texture or composition, can produce a measurable feeling of ease.

These ideas have contributed to the rise of biophilic art. Rather than simply depicting landscapes or botanical subjects, it seeks to recreate the sensory and psychological qualities of the natural world. In recent years, artists like Mulgil Kim have attracted growing attention for the way their work evokes the experience of being outdoors, reflecting the wider influence of biophilic ideas across art and interiors.

Understanding Biophilic Art

A closeup of Mulgil Kim painting her new artwork

Biophilic art is a form of contemporary nature art based on the idea that human beings possess an affinity with the natural world. Drawing from the principles of biophilic design – the intentional integration of nature into buildings and spaces to improve human health, wellbeing and creativity – it uses painting, sculpture, installation and other visual forms to introduce organic imagery and natural references into built environments.

The term “biophilia” was first introduced by psychoanalyst Erich Fromm in the 1960s before being expanded by biologist Edward O. Wilson, who used it to describe the instinctive human attraction to living systems and natural processes. Over time, these ideas began to influence architecture, interior design and art.

Unlike traditional landscape painting, biophilic art is not solely concerned with depicting nature as scenery or subject matter. Instead, it focuses on the emotional and physiological effect that nature can have on the viewer, with flowing lines, expansive landscapes and immersive compositions designed to convey rhythm, movement and visual depth.

The growing interest in art for wellbeing has made biophilic art particularly appealing for collectors interested in more sensory-led interiors. From eco paintings and botanical abstractions to absorbing nature artwork, artists working within this space are exploring the role art can play in creating soothing living environments.

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The Art of Mulgil Kim: Nature as a Way of Seeing

Mulgil Kim sitting in her studio with her artworks

For Mulgil Kim, nature is not simply a subject to be observed, but a way of understanding the world. Her paintings emerge from moments of stillness, translating ordinary encounters with grass, trees, water and sky into luminous, atmospheric landscapes infused with memory and sensation.

Living With Nature Art

Mulgil Kim, Green Roof (2026)

The relationship between art and wellbeing has become an important consideration for collectors, particularly at a time when many people are paying closer attention to how the design of their homes can affect their concentration, state of mind and overall comfort. Paintings are no longer chosen solely for their aesthetic value or investment potential, with collectors also considering how a work makes a space feel – whether it introduces energy, invites reflection or brings peace to a room.

Within this context, biophilic art has become especially significant. Unlike fast-moving visual culture designed to capture attention instantly, this form of calming art can soften the visual intensity of contemporary interiors, helping to turn living spaces into places of sanctuary.

This idea is closely connected to what psychologists describe as “restorative environments” – spaces that help the mind recover from overstimulation. While direct contact with nature remains essential, research suggests that visual representations of the natural world can also have a measurable effect on mood, attention span and stress levels. Biophilic art therefore extends beyond decoration, altering the visual and emotional character of the spaces we inhabit every day.

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Bringing Nature Inside: How to Collect Nature Art

Mulgil Kim in her studio, in Seoul

With the growing prominence of biophilic interiors within design culture, collectors are thinking more carefully about how nature paintings function within domestic spaces. The most successful works can change the pace of a space, drawing the eye away from visual clutter and creating a greater sense of openness.

Scale plays an important role in this experience, with large contemporary nature paintings helping interiors appear more expansive, and placement matters too. Bedrooms, reading nooks and transitional areas within the home lend themselves to calming art and wellness art because these are the spaces where people are most likely to rest and spend time alone.

Collectors are also becoming more discerning about the difference between decorative nature artwork and paintings that carry genuine emotional nuance. While botanical prints and landscape paintings remain popular within interiors, artists working within the biophilic tradition offer a more evocative encounter with nature.

Mulgil Kim’s paintings embody many of the qualities collectors are now seeking from biophilic art. Her lush green landscapes, moonlit vistas and carefully observed natural details bring softness and visual stillness into an interior without dominating the space around them. Yet beneath their serenity lies a distinctive artistic vision, with her dreamlike landscapes redirecting the viewer’s attention towards the world outside their window.

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Ecological Themes in Contemporary Art: Why Nature-Centred Art Matters Now

Mulgil Kim, Green Curtain (2026)

Nature inspired paintings and eco-driven practices now occupy a significant place within Contemporary art. Across galleries, museums and international art fairs, nature artists are using natural imagery and ecological themes to explore questions around sustainability, memory, human behaviour and our increasingly fragile relationship with the environment.

Unlike overt forms of activist eco art, many biophilic works communicate through atmosphere and sensory experience rather than direct political messaging, reflecting a broader cultural shift in which domestic spaces are increasingly expected to support concentration, restoration and psychological comfort. As long as contemporary life continues to be filled with noise and overstimulation, the desire for art that offers reason to pause is unlikely to disappear.

Explore Biophilic Art at Maddox Gallery and Consult with Art Investment Advisory.

A Return to Nature Through Art

The enduring presence of nature within art history speaks to something fundamentally human. Across centuries of painting, artists have used landscapes, gardens, trees and natural light to reflect interior life, memory and the passing of time. Today, as more time is spent indoors and online, biophilic art responds to the growing disconnection between people and the natural world.

Through green landscapes, organic forms and paintings that reward sustained looking, these works reconnect interiors with the rhythms of the natural world while introducing calm and reflection into the home. It is this ability to alter the emotional character of a space that has made biophilic art one of the most affecting movements in Contemporary art today.

Discover More About Mulgil Kim’s Practice. 

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