RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS WITH ~ YANG HYUN JUN BY PABLO G. VILLAZAN

In this weeks session of ‘Rapid Fire Questions” our good friend Pablo G. Villazan gives us a great Q&A with an amazing Korean artist named Yang Hyun Jun.

Bio:

Yang Hyun Jun graduated at Busan Silla University in Korean Art Painting in 1996, and has also completed a Doctoral degree in 2009. Yang has over 15 solo exhibitions and has participated in 85 group exhibitions and international art fairs.

Yang paints on traditional Korean paper called Hanji. His subject matter focuses on humanism, especially on maternal love and yearning for his mother which are expressed in his works, to fulfil the lack of father figure in his childhood. The runny nose on the portraits is a symbol of childhood painted with epoxy, giving a 3D effect in a 2D painting.

So, Ready! Set! Gooooooo!

Who is Yang Hyun Jun?

한지에 한국화를 그리는 작가입니다.

I’m an artist who uses Korean paper to draw Korean traditional paintings.

Did you always want to be an artist?

모두에게 즐거움을 주는 그림, 치유가 되는 그림, 일상에 가까운 그림,
모두가 공감할 수 있는 그림을 그리는 아티스트

I wanted to be an artist who draws paintings that everyone can understand. You know, paintings like, they can present joy to people, heal emotionally, and are close to daily life.

Where does your inspiration come from?

초창기 작품은 나의 엄마와 나의 가족이야기였습니다. 현재는 내 가족이야기에서 확장되어
우리 모두의 가족 이야기를 하고 있습니다.

My earlier artwork was about my mother and my family story. These days, it has expanded from my family story to everyone’s family story.

Which artists have the greatest influence on your work?

나는 나에게 영감을 주는 모든 사람들이 예술가라고 생각합니다. 그래서 내가 처음으로 어떤 그림을 그려야 하는지 알려준 사람들이었던 벽화마을 주민들이 나에게 큰 영향을 준 예술가입니다. 그리고 요시토모 나라 작가님이 작품을 통해 일러스트와 회화의 경계를 무너뜨리고, 확장해 나가는 모습을 보며 큰 영향을 받았습니다.

I consider everyone who inspires me as an artist. The people who were living in the village that I went for village mural project are the artists who influenced me the most because they gave me advise about what kind of paintings I should draw. In addition, I got influenced by the artist Yoshitomo Nara due to his way of breaking the boundary between illustration and fine art.

What is your process to create your work?

한지에 엷은 채색을 중첩해서 색을 쌓아올리며 작업을 합니다. 전통 한국화 채색 방법을 활용하지만 서양화 재료인 아크릴 물감을 사용하여 동, 서양의 장점을 작품에 담고 있습니다.

I work using paints that are layered a lot on the Korean paper. I use the traditional Korean painting method to apply the paint, but I use the acrylic paints to mix up the virtue of both Eastern and Western media.

Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?

특별히 필요로 하는 것은 없지만 음악과 작업복이 있어야 집중력 향상에 도움이 됩니다. 특히 음악은 작품에 대한 감정 몰입에 큰 도움이 됩니다.

I don’t need anything special besides music and my working clothes help me to increase my concentration. Especially the music, it helps me a lot to engage with the paintings emotionally.

What is the meaning behind your artwork?

제 작품에 집중해야 할 포인트는 입체적으로 표현된 ‘콧물’입니다. 이 콧물이 제 작품의 아이덴티티이자 많은 의미를 상징하고 있습니다. 표면적으로는 익살스러움과 흥미유발 요소이지만 그 속에 주인공이 가진 삶의 아픔과 눈물을 응축해서 담고 있습니다.

The core of my work is ‘runny nose (a.k.a. nasal discharge)’ which is depicted three dimensionally. This snot is my identity and it represents various meanings. Visually, the snot is a waggish element, and it causes interest from people, but deep inside it contains the pain of life and tears of each character metaphorically.

Imagine that your paintings could talk, what would they say about you?

‘네가하고싶은대로살아도괜찮아. 너의삶을살아봐’이런말을할것같고응원할것 같다.

'It's okay to live the way you want to”, “Live your life.", I think he will say this and cheer for you.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

조금 더 스스로 솔직하게 드러내고, 남이 반대해도 해보고 싶은 걸 도전해봐라. 그 모든 것이 너의 경험이 될 수 있을 것이다. 그리고 결과에 대한 타인의 시선에 겁먹지 마라.

Try to show yourself little bit more honestly, and try to do more things that you want to try even if others disagree. Everything will be your experience. And never be afraid of other’s judgement about any result that you get.

Do you find the social channel’s influence Positive or Negative?

소셜채널을 이용해서 내 작품을 소개하고 다양한 사람들의 이야기를 주고 받을 수 있어서 흥미롭다. 그리고 소셜채널을 통해 많은 사람들이 내 작품을 쉽게 접할 수 있다면 내가 바라던
예술가의 모습이다.

I’m interested in the social channels because I can introduce my art and chitchat with a lot of people. If I can share my artwork using social media and it helps more and more people be able to enjoy my work, that’s what I wanted from my life as an artist.

Describe in 3 words how social channels affect you as an artist.

첫 번째는 내 그림의 ‘영감’, 두 번째는 많은 이들과의 ‘소통’, 그리고 결과적으로
나의 작품을 많은 사람들에게 소개할 수 있는 ‘즐거움’

First of all, I could say ‘Inspiration’ for my paintings. Second, ‘Communication’ with various people, and, as a result of them all, ‘Joy’ of introducing my work to a lot of people.

What is your dream project?

작가로서 두 가지 꿈이 있습니다. 첫 번째는 공공미술 프로젝트입니다. 다양한 국가의 여러 빈민지역에서 제 그림을 벽화로 그려 제 그림을 보는 지역 사람들에게 희망과 꿈, 그리고 웃을 수 있는 시간을 주고 싶습니다.
두 번째는 아트 콜라보입니다. 예전에 무라카미 타카시와 명품 브랜드 루이뷔통의 콜라보를 본 적이 있습니다. 순수 회화 작가와 자본주의의 상징적인 명품 브랜드의 콜라보가 굉장히 신선하게 느껴졌습니다. 그리고 회화 작가의 영역 확장에 놀랐습니다. 저에게도 그런 기회가 있다면 제 한계를 넘는 계기가 되지 않을까 하는 기대가 있습니다.

I have two dream projects as an artist. The first one is a public art project. I want to draw my paintings on the walls of diverse countries all over the world especially the rural and neglected regions so that my paintings can share hopes and dreams, and time to laugh with locals.

The second one is an art collaboration. Not so long ago, I saw Takashi Murakami had a collaboration with the luxury brand Louis Vuitton. It gave me fresh feeling because a fine art artist’s work collaborated with a luxury brand which, sort of, represents capitalism. And I was surprised with the fact that the field that a fine art artist could access got wider. If I could get a chance like that, I expect that opportunity to be a reason for me to get out of my limitations.