The First Media | [People of the House of Hope] #6 The Painter Who Sketches Sharing and Colors in Hope: Hope Ambassador Kim Hyun Jung

Don't be fooled by my looks — I've actually got some strength. Being a painter is surprisingly physical labor, you know. I'm good at hammering nails, good at painting walls, practically a professional at wallpapering. I'm confident with any kind of physical work, so call me up for anything~!

Laughter erupted from the audience at the down-to-earth wit that didn't quite match her elegantly dressed hanbok. The star behind this bold opening remark was artist Kim Hyun Jung (32), known as the "Idol of Korean Painting." Appointed Hope Ambassador for Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association (hereafter Hope Bridge) at last year's year-end 'Hope Bridge Night of Gratitude' event, Kim's remarks are as bold as her expressive technique. Artist Kim Hyun Jung, who has been breathing new life into what might otherwise seem like a stodgy world of Oriental painting through fresh ideas and satire, is already a promising talent with a firm footing in Korea's art world. She has continued a string of major milestones, including being named to Dong-A Ilbo's 2014 list of '100 People Who Will Shine Korea in 10 Years,' holding the youngest solo exhibition by a Korean at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2016, and being named to Forbes' 2017 list of '30 Influential Under-30s in Asia.' This appointment as Hope Ambassador marks a new challenge for this fearless artist. As the new year 2020 begins, we took a direct look at the sketch artist Kim Hyun Jung is drawing.

How a "Lucky" Artist Gives Back to the World

Artist Kim Hyun Jung is an artist who has built her achievements faster than anyone. She debuted with a solo exhibition offer before even graduating college, and the solo exhibition she held at age 27 drew such enormous public interest that it broke the visitor record at Gana Insa Art Center (Insa-dong). This is an unusual path in Korea's art world, where artists are classified as "emerging" until their 40s. But Kim says, "I got here because things I faced along the way happened to work out well." In other words, she was simply lucky.

That is also why the feeling of "I want to share what I've received with the world" welled up inside her. The activity she started with was sponsoring an orphanage. She loves children, and at the time the "baby box" issue happened to be a hot topic. She donated formula and diapers to facility children and participated in volunteer work every month.

Sharing and volunteering turned out to be addictive. In activities she began wanting to help others, she instead found comfort and stability for herself. Starting with two children in 2013, the number of children she sponsors has since grown to 30, and the prize money she has received through more than a dozen awards to date has all been donated to various causes.

"People in the art world are prone to depression. They get stuck in the deep valley of contemplation and can't climb out. But every time I feel down, being with the children heals me. What I gain is far greater than what I give through donations or volunteering."

Serving as a publicity ambassador is also one of the channels through which artist Kim Hyun Jung shares and communicates with the world. Kim first stepped into ambassador work in 2014 as publicity ambassador for Cambodia's 'Hope Library,' and has also served as a Seoul publicity ambassador since 2018. Her third choice, made in pursuit of rich inspiration through diverse experiences, is Hope Bridge's publicity ambassador role, the "Hope Ambassador." She says she had some hesitation when first offered the role. Since disaster relief is a truly critical matter for some people, she wondered, "Can I really do this well?" But as she examined the organization's values and track record, that worry of "Can I do it?" turned into a resolve of "I want to do it!"

"I learned that this is an organization that has, for a very long time, been doing work our society desperately needs. I wanted to be of help in any way I could. If I could do that, I thought I would feel truly great fulfillment and joy."

With the Power of "Communication" That Made Me Who I Am Today...

"Communication" is indispensable to describing artist Kim Hyun Jung. She is also known as an artist who communicates endlessly through social media, exhibitions, lectures, serialized writing, and publishing. She runs 13 social media channels alone, with total subscribers well over 200,000.

At first, she says, she simply wanted to change a stereotype — that painters aren't only lonely, solitary people, and that Korean painting isn't limited to the Four Gracious Plants (plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo). It began with posting her work on social media and jotting down a few words about her intentions as an artist. It wasn't smooth sailing from the start. There was criticism because of her characteristically provocative ideas and expression, and she says malicious comments were not uncommon either. But persistence and sincerity ultimately made healthy communication possible. Recently, she says she has even drawn inspiration and work ideas from social media communication. It is precisely the result of such efforts that has earned artist Kim Hyun Jung recognition for "playing a leading role in popularizing Korean painting to the public."

Artist Kim Hyun Jung regards the public who communicates with her as her most reliable ally — comrades who overcome crises together, and supporters who help her grow through cheers and encouragement. She calls and enjoys the process of developing ideas together with the public "social drawing." And now, one more chapter is set to be added to that social drawing: as Hope Bridge's Hope Ambassador, promoting interest in and support for disaster relief.

"I believe good things happen when good people come together. I've confirmed that time and again so far. I believe that if I hold onto the persistence and sincerity I had when I first started communicating, even a small voice can keep spreading, steadily."

Look Forward to a "Collaboration" Between Art and Disaster Relief

Before formally beginning her Hope Ambassador activities, artist Kim Hyun Jung says, "I want to learn more about the field of disaster relief." The more she knows about the organization's activities, the greater the impact of her role as a "bridge" connecting the organization and the public can become. Thanks to the nature of her profession, her safety awareness is quite thorough. Oriental painters, who mainly use hanji (traditional Korean paper), are said to be very sensitive to fire and water. Artist Kim said, "I'm especially neurotic about fire," adding, "I unplug every electrical cord when I leave a room."

Looking at the long term, there are many points where an artist's abilities could be added to the field of disaster relief. A good example is how the areas affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake sought revival and regeneration through Japan's traditional cultural arts festival, the "matsuri (祭り)." Artist Kim also plans to try various approaches, and among them, the part she feels most drawn to is comfort and healing through art.

"Recovery and rebuilding are the next problem... I think comfort is what's most needed first. How shocked and bewildered must disaster victims be? Art has that kind of power. There are colors and designs that bring particular comfort and stability. I'd like to start with small things like that, doing what I can, one step at a time!"

"I want to deliver comfort to disaster victims through art."

/Photo: Kim Hyun Jung Art Creative Center