Yonhap News | Korean Painting’s Idol Kim Hyun Jung: “I Dream of Becoming the Art World’s ‘PSY'”
On March 13, 2016, Yonhap News reported that Kim Hyun Jung, known as 'the idol of Korean painting,' would hold her solo exhibition 'Naesoong Amusement Park' across all four floors of Gallery Is in Insadong, Seoul, from March 16 to April 11. In the interview, the artist shared her ambition to create exhibitions that delight visitors, like singers PSY or Kim Jang-hoon, discussing works with candid titles such as 'Installment Life' and 'Sampo Generation, Miss Kim,' her love of hanbok, and her use of SNS marketing.
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(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Jeong-seon = "I hope visitors will look at my paintings and feel 'delighted.' If I have an ambitious goal, it's to become someone like PSY or Kim Jang-hoon in the music world. They put on stages that make audiences happy. I think my exhibitions should be something you 'go to play at.'"
Boldly saying she has more to learn from K-pop than from fellow senior artists on her own path — who is this painter?
She is Kim Hyun Jung (28), an artist who gained popularity through her 'Naesoong' series and whose social media following is nearing 100,000.
Her work, often described as a reinterpretation of Korean painting, always features a young woman in hanbok.
Completed in ink wash and light color with collage on hanji, the protagonists of her paintings exercise using equipment, play billiards, or grill samgyeopsal.
Dubbed 'the idol of Korean painting,' Kim will present around 80 works in her solo exhibition 'Naesoong Amusement Park,' running from the 16th to April 11 across all four floors of Gallery Is in Insadong, Seoul.
In the exhibited works, women in translucent hanbok ride amusement park rides, try their hand at claw machines, shop for snacks, and enjoy other everyday leisure — even riding motorcycles.
Some works carry even more realistic titles, like 'Installment Life' and 'Sampo Generation, Miss Kim.'
Visiting the Yonhap News office on the 12th, she was dressed elegantly in hanbok, just like the figures in her paintings.
On the 'Naesoong' series, she said, "It's a story about the gaze of others that anyone as a member of society is conscious of," adding, "It began with the idea of wittily portraying people who say one thing and mean another."
As is well known, Kim is a hanbok enthusiast.
Saying she wears hanbok about three days a week, she explained, "Hanbok is the most elegant, sexy and gorgeous garment there is," adding, "Just as traditional musicians wear hanbok, it feels natural for me to wear it since I'm a Korean painter."
Her serious engagement with social media began in earnest in 2013, after hearing about a visitor who came to her exhibition after seeing a post about it that a fashion curator had shared on Facebook.
Kim appeared to draw many of her activity models from fields outside of art.
"K-pop's level of completion is really high," she said. "They show off 'perfectly synchronized choreography,' and every related field — hair, makeup and so on — is divided into specialized roles, which I think is why it works so well."
Admission to this exhibition is free, but there are plans for added fun: a stamp ticket collectible at each floor, photo events, and rock candy left out for visitors.
"Some visitors might travel all the way from Jeju Island just to see my exhibition. Shouldn't I show them something 'new' in return for that effort?"
She added, "It's not about waiting for people to come find you, but making it so they can come find you — which means being approachable and friendly, without airs," saying, "I hope art becomes something that breathes together with many people."
During the interview, she also referred to her own work as 'product,' and when asked why, she answered, "'Naesoong Girl' is a character, so there's no end to the material, which means it can be branded."
This exhibition will also feature a new attempt to transform flat works into three-dimensional pieces using 3D printing.
Kim held an invitational exhibition at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art earlier this year.
"I have exhibitions planned at the Korean Cultural Center in Berlin, Germany, and in the US at the Newark Museum and Long Island Museum," she said, adding, "Going forward, I want to explore the global potential of Korean painting."
She also mentioned wanting to take time to explore other series going forward.
Kim Hyun Jung graduated from Seoul National University's Department of Oriental Painting, with a double major in business administration.
jsk@yna.co.kr