Segye Ilbo | Appealing Through Looks? I Just Want to Lower the Threshold of Art
Segye Ilbo interviewed Oriental painter Kim Hyun Jung, named to Forbes' "Power People Under 30" list. The article covered her double major in business administration at Seoul National University, her active promotional activity through social media, and her belief in lowering the threshold of art.
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Oriental painter Kim Hyun Jung, named to the "Power People Under 30" list
Dislikes the condescension toward arts, sports, and women
Double-majored in business at Seoul National University's College of Fine Arts
Drew attention in the art scene with her audacious "Naesung" series
Promotes in hanbok... 110,000 followers
"Everyone seems to think art is so difficult. If there's anything I can do to lower that threshold, I thought I shouldn't be bound by existing conventions. I hope that when a work leaves my hands this way, it will be treated with respect, and that it can be a good example for my fellow art school friends."
Oriental painter Kim Hyun Jung (29, pictured), recently named among Asia's most influential people under 30 by the US magazine Forbes' Asia edition, shared her conviction about "lowering the threshold of art" in a media interview on the 19th. Forbes cited her selection reason as "an artist who has challenged existing conventions through her work." Among a list that includes singers Park Jae-beom, Jessica, and Eric Nam, footballer Son Heung-min, and archer Choi Mi-seon, Kim was the sole honoree in fine art.
Kim speculated on her reason for selection, saying, "I think Forbes must have liked how my 'Naesung' series — which portrays the story of Seoul women through genre painting — reflects both the spirit of the times and something distinctly Korean, along with my active use of social media." In the "Naesung" series, a young woman in hanbok appears exercising, playing pool, or grilling samgyeopsal. The woman's face is the artist's own.
Kim majored in Oriental painting at Seoul National University's College of Fine Arts, while also double-majoring in business administration. Curious about the art market structure that produces so many "starving artists," and displeased by being looked down on for studying arts and physical education, and for being a woman, she chose a double major from among the departments with the highest entrance scores.
"While others studied three hours, I had to study 30 hours just to keep up. It was really tough. But because I studied so many case studies, I came to know a lot of company names, which later helped a great deal when collaborating with companies. Now I run a company called 'Kim Hyun Jung Art Center,' and it helps with HR management too."
Unlike many artists who hesitate to put themselves forward more than their work, she is proactive about promoting herself. She uses every form of social media. On Facebook alone, she has 110,000 followers. She always dresses elegantly in hanbok for interviews and doesn't shy away from giving lectures. Many people view her unfavorably, saying she's "trying to appeal outside of her actual work."
Kim responded, "Most art students are women, but there are no role models, and many are lost," adding, "I thought that if there was anything that could lower the threshold of art, I shouldn't be bound by existing conventions, and while there are plenty of critical voices, there are plenty of supporters too."
Though she's the type to act on impulse in many things, Kim's attitude toward art itself remains serious. In her doctoral program, she is also studying traditional Korean portrait painting techniques.
Kim said, "When things aren't going well, I go back to the basics, study, and remind myself never to lose my direction," adding, "At first glance, people might think, 'Oh my, how cheeky and funny,' but underneath, I want to create works that are like a sad black comedy once you look closer."