Sisun News | [Interview 360] Artist ‘Kim Hyun Jung,’ Who Elevates the Mysterious Charm of Korean Painting into Witty Work

[Sisun News, Kim A-ryeon] The solo exhibition of artist Kim Hyun Jung, who has come to be seen as an icon of Korean painting, ran from September 2 through September 14. Kim Hyun Jung's 23rd solo exhibition, <A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age>, deals with the process of establishing a sense of self, extending the line of Kim's 'Naesoong series.' Let's take a closer look at this exhibition by artist Kim Hyun Jung, through which you can feel the charm of Korean painting.

PART 1. Artist Kim Hyun Jung, Captivated by the Unique Beauty of Korean Painting

[Photo / Courtesy of Kim Hyun Jung Art Center]

- Please introduce yourself.

I'm Kim Hyun Jung, a Korean painter who turned thirty this year. Many people probably remember me as the painter in hanbok, or the painter who paints women in hanbok. I've been painting the 'Naesoong series,' self-portraits depicting myself going about daily life wearing hanbok. This time, I'm holding an exhibition on the theme of marriage titled 'A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age' in Pyeongchang-dong.

- What led you to choose the Department of Oriental Painting?

Since I spent my school years at an arts high school, deciding on a major to match the curriculum felt like an inevitable fate. I remember spending many days agonizing over it. At first, I was thinking of going into design. But around that time, I happened to read a book by the late Professor Oh Ju-seok called <Special Lectures on Korean Beauty>, and that settled it for me. The book mainly interprets and highlights the works of Kim Hong-do from the perspective of 'Korean beauty,' and I was deeply moved by the beautiful, outstanding tradition of Korean art. I wanted to chase after the wit, delicate observation, and vivid brushwork Kim Hong-do showed in works like <Dancing Boy> and <Ssireum (Wrestling)>, and that's what led me to insist on the techniques and materials unique to Oriental painting.

[Photo / Courtesy of Kim Hyun Jung Art Center]

- What memorable episodes do you have from doing art since a young age?

I started art from a young age, from the time I entered elementary school. Actually, my older sister played a big role in why I started art. Even now, but back then too, I really loved and looked up to my sister. Once I started diligently attending academies aiming to enter an arts middle school, I began frequently visiting the art studio, tagging along after my sister, three years older than me — that was the start of my life in art. Among the kids preparing for arts middle school, I was known more by my nickname than my actual name. Compared to the older kids, I was so little and small that they used to call me 'booger.' It still makes me laugh to think about it — a fun little episode.

- Please introduce this solo exhibition, <A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age>.

In December 2018, I received the Korea Artist Award for Young Artists at the '12th Korea Artists' Day' event hosted by the Korean Fine Arts Association. This exhibition is an invitational show commemorating that award. The exhibition is titled <A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age>. It seems everyone attaches deep meaning to a woman turning thirty — that you've reached the age where you should get married. I tried to unpack, through this exhibition, the vague anxieties and worries about marriage that my peers and I are going through. It runs for about two weeks, from September 2 to September 13, from 11 AM to 6 PM, at Keumboseong Art Center in Pyeongchang-dong.

[Photo / Courtesy of Kim Hyun Jung Art Center]

- What has changed between your previous solo exhibition <Naesoong Amusement Park> and this exhibition, <A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age>?

First and foremost, there's a change in 'series.' The difference between my self-portrait in my twenties and in my thirties seems to show through 'Naesoong' and 'marriage.' Another difference is that other people now actively appear in the work. Previously, only the Naesoong girl herself appeared in the canvas. And this time, many works reinterpret the composition and imagery of famous paintings. This is a new attempt born from wondering how to convey my thoughts on marriage in a witty, compressed way. For example, 'Marriage: Worlds Apart' borrows the composition and imagery of Michelangelo's 'Creation of Adam,' 'Marriage: The Bride-to-Be Who Thinks' borrows Rodin's 'The Thinker,' and 'Marriage: Welcome to In-Law World' borrows Munch's 'The Scream.' I paid a lot of attention to the details so that it wouldn't feel like simple borrowing, giving each piece new meaning.

[Photo / Courtesy of Kim Hyun Jung Art Center]

- A word for people who are agonizing over marriage.

Since this exhibition deals with the thoughts and feelings I felt facing marriage, I too went through countless worries about it. The more I kept thinking about marriage, the more overwhelming and anxious it felt. Starting with getting a home, wondering how to raise a child once I had one, the relationship with in-laws — everything around me started to feel like a burden. In the end, I realized the true nature of my feelings about marriage was anxiety. So the main theme of this exhibition became the anxiety of a thirty-year-old Korean woman facing marriage as a reality. But through communicating and talking with all kinds of people through this exhibition, it also became an opportunity for me to shift my thinking, to consider the advantages of marriage or new perspectives on it. Since what people pursue in marriage differs from person to person, I'd like to use this exhibition, <A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age>, as a forum for conversation and hear a variety of stories.

Artist Kim Hyun Jung, who showed talent in art from a young age, fell in love with the charm of Korean painting and captured her own self-portrait on canvas. She has reinterpreted Korean painting, which can feel somewhat classical to people, with wit and sense, making it approachable and familiar. Next time, let's take a closer look at artist Kim Hyun Jung's world of work.

Written by — Reporter Kim A-ryeon