Polinews | [Poli Interview] The Art World’s BTS Leading the New Korean Wave’s Globalization, Korean Painter Kim Hyun Jung

[Poli Interview] The Art World's BTS Leading the New Korean Wave's Globalization, Korean Painter Kim Hyun Jung

2021.11.23 10:57:49

An idol star of Korean painting with intelligence, beauty, and talent all in one

Set to lead the globalization of the new Hallyu and enhance national prestige in the art field

Hopes to grow into a globally recognized "BTS of the art world"

There is an artist making headlines for building a unique position in the field of Korean painting through fresh and distinctive work, and for expanding her activities both at home and abroad, emerging as the "BTS of the art world." She is Korean painter Kim Hyun Jung. Polinews met with artist Kim Hyun Jung to hear about her vision and aspirations. [Editor's note]

▲ Korean painter Kim Hyun Jung.

- Please give us a brief introduction.

I am Korean painter Kim Hyun Jung, and I paint the everyday, unguarded moments of 21st-century Korean women dressed in hanbok, drawing on the elegance and secretiveness that hanbok evokes. Perhaps because I capture the everyday scenes of our times in my paintings, I'm also called a 21st-century genre painter, much like the Joseon-era genre painters Kim Hong-do and Sin Yun-bok.

- What led you to painting Korean art?

I began studying art at age 8, and studied it more in depth after entering Sunhwa Arts High School. I was originally also interested in design, but around that time I fell deeply for the charm of Oriental painting, particularly ink wash painting, and majored in Oriental painting.

The first art tools I ever picked up as a child were mainly Western-style materials (crayons). Having used only Western-style materials, I still vividly remember the fresh shock I felt when I first encountered Korean painting. That's when I decided to pursue Korean painting. Also, during high school, I read a book called "Special Lectures on the Beauty of Korea" by Oh Ju-seok, which mainly illuminated the works of Kim Hong-do from the perspective of "Korean beauty," and I was deeply moved by the beautiful and outstanding tradition of Korean art at the time.

Ultimately, I wanted to follow and achieve the wit, keen observation, and lively brushwork found in Kim Hong-do's works such as "Mudong" (Dancing Boy) and "Ssireum" (Korean Wrestling), and that thinking led me to insist on the unique techniques and materials of Oriental painting.

- Your work is very fresh and distinctive.

Technically, I've created a new painting method that adds Western-style collage to traditional ink wash and light coloring, and I work in that style. I used hanji (traditional Korean paper) collage to bring out the crisp, three-dimensional texture unique to the hanbok jacket (jeogori), and used ink wash to paint the hanbok skirt to capture its transparency. I use light coloring for the figures and props. While preserving the traditional elements of Oriental painting, I create work that can be comfortably enjoyed and related to in our contemporary era.

▲ Lecturing while wearing hanbok.

Although I'm borrowing the methods of traditional Oriental painting, I think the reason my work feels fresh and distinctive is the encounter of Eastern and Western techniques, the fusion of Eastern and Western culture—that's what sets it apart, I believe.

- You are the model in most of your works.

The Naesoong Story is a self-portrait of myself. But it didn't start out as a self-portrait. The starting point of the Naesoong series was painting people who looked at me with prejudice, not truly knowing who I really was, and since I needed a model for figure painting, I casually began using myself as the model.

▲ New Ten Longevity Symbols.

But as I painted myself as the model, I came to think that prejudice and preconceptions are an instinctive, universal issue for ordinary people. I also saw reflected in it my own sensitivity to others' gazes. From then on, I began painting self-portraits based on my own thoughts, daily life, and experiences, and I continue steadfastly on the path of a painter to this day.

- I'd like to know the secret behind achieving so much in such a short time.

Looking back carefully, I think I was always a greedy child. Perhaps that's why I was also quite assertive and stubborn. During my growth, this ambition sometimes served as a motivation for learning and a driving force for steadily moving forward. On the other hand, now that I'm an adult, it sometimes becomes a cause of exhausting and wearing myself out instead.

Since Korean painting requires expressing fine detail and takes a long time to complete, when distracting thoughts cloud my concentration, I only grow anxious while the work falls further behind. Running an art center has meant making more decisions, and while it's been good to have various experiences through collaborations and lectures, I try not to forget that I am, first and foremost, a painter.

To do that, the first priority has been not to be too greedy about what's immediately in front of me. Once I let go of that greed, both my body and mind became healthier, and I was able to focus better on my work, which gave me the strength to sustain good results. By steadily immersing myself in my work this way, I believe I've earned the recognition I have today.

- Your list of accolades is impressive.

I've received various honors, including Forbes' list of influential people (30 Under 30), and Dong-A Ilbo's list of 100 People Who Will Shine Korea in 10 Years. I'd like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone involved. I think the media attention comes because so many people have resonated with and enjoyed my work.

▲ Forbes' list of influential people (30 Under 30).

Above all, I think this is the result of communicating with the public as an artist and working actively across various fields, and I hope to continue being active, energetic, and passionate going forward.

- Is there a work or event that stands out in your memory?

There's one episode that stands out most in my memory. My early Naesoong Story piece "Acha (我差)" was assessed as a satire of modern women. I myself thought there was enough room for it to be interpreted that way. But in truth, I had almost no intention of socially problematizing and satirizing "young women's tendency toward extravagance." Being drawn to pretty shoes, expensive luxury bags, and coffee from franchise cafes was simply a reflection of myself, and I expressed that in the work, which became a big topic of discussion online, and I've continued the Naesoong Story ever since.

▲ Naesoong Story "Acha (我差)."

As for events, I also remember my solo exhibition "Naesoong Amusement Park," held over 27 days in March–April 2016. It was an unprecedented, record-breaking exhibition in Korea, drawing a massive audience of 67,402 visitors. At the time, mothers wearing hanbok visited in groups, and I took photos with them and explained the exhibition, which was a truly valuable experience as a painter who depicts hanbok.

- Is there anything you hope for from society as an artist?

Compared to music, the reality is that art doesn't have as broad a base of public enjoyment. In particular, Oriental painting—and Korean painting especially—hasn't received much attention. Just as music fills the streets these days, I hope more people can share and enjoy the beauty and pleasure of appreciation that art offers.

Of course, it doesn't have to be Korean painting specifically. But as someone who works in Oriental painting, particularly Korean painting, I want to take the lead in helping this field be more widely enjoyed. To that end, I plan to continue pursuing work grounded in "empathy" and to keep studying diligently in related areas.

- Any words for young people hoping to achieve their dreams?

What I want to say to young people hoping to achieve their dreams is, "Let's do our best." Since I was young, whenever my exam scores weren't good, my parents always asked, "Did you do your best?"

That question has always been a driving force that has allowed me to keep working as a painter to this day, always doing my best. To young people working toward their dreams, I want to cheer them on to do their best in whatever they can, and never give up.

- Do you have any future plans or aspirations?

I held a solo exhibition in 2019 titled "A Tray of Eggs, Marriage Age." Since then, I've been parodying famous paintings to express stories about marriage, such as reworking Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" into "Marriage: A Foolish Difference" and Munch's "The Scream" into "Marriage: Welcome to Shield." Meanwhile, in this era of living with COVID, I'd like to introduce my work soon through a large-scale offline exhibition.

▲ "Marriage: A Foolish Difference," a parody of Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam."

I also have a bigger picture in mind. Going forward, I want to continue devoting myself to my work as a Korean painter, being recognized both at home and abroad as the "BTS of the art world," and take the lead in globalizing the new Hallyu and enhancing national prestige in the field of art.

Reporter Kim Jae-gwang stmkjki@polinews.co.kr

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Written by — Reporter Kim Jae-gwang