From Artist Statement written in Geneva, 2010

Seven Ways of Looking at My Art

1.     Perpetual tension: From MFA onwards, my research and work focus on the nature’s way of holding the opposites together, creating paradox; the “perpetual tension.” Yes, perhaps this preoccupation is a bit typical, especially coming from an Asian. Typical themes are typical because they have elements of the classical, however, and my works are the classical inquiry into the meaning of human volition relative to so-called “life,” the uncontrollable.

2.     Perpetual tension in my life: Living local in the globalized society. Reflecting on my transnational lifestyle, I devised the concept of “contactism.” Based on the assumptions of humanistic psychology (Carl Rogers) that views the human organism to be ever seeking self-actualization using the most of her given environment, the concept explains how a person’s psychological architecture is strongly influenced by the number and degree of significant “contacts” she has with various cultures (including societal incentive structures and individuals) throughout her life. The resulting attitude towards life validates two conflicting desires: the youthful aspiration to self-actualize in multiple places, and the strong motivation to stay in one place and invest in a local community, like a tree taking root. My art is a medium through which I live out contactism. I decided that wherever I move I will fully engage in the local community and serve as an artist. Holding exhibitions, painting murals, teaching, organizing art related activities at my current location allow me to connect with people and environments that become part of who in the long run.

3.     Living energy in my work: An understanding of Ki permeates all of my artistic expressions. Parallel to my painting and printmaking works, I have been practicing calligraphy for the past ten years. The essence of calligraphy is capturing one’s Ki; energy, life. In this tradition, the stroke is in itself simultaneously the form and the concept of the art. This philosophy influenced my understanding of how art is connected to nature, and is carried through my painting and print works. I create artworks that are alive.[1]

4.     Contentious homeostasis: Visually, my images are metaphors of contentious homeostasis. The balance oscillates between geometric and organic forms; flat surface and pictorial space; two opposing forces. The picture plane is imbued with tension.

5.     Symbols: I draw mundane objects repeatedly; fruits and vegetables, trees, clouds, and kitchenware. In each consecutive piece, I change a few elements from the previous drawing until the object becomes a playful shape. These shapes have an emotional quality I identify with. They are the symbol of living energy.

6.     Patterns: I make patterns with symbols. I morph uniform patterns, which appear flat on the surface, so that they would seem to be extending in pictorial space. In other words I apply perspective to patterns. The resulting ambiguous space is neither completely flat nor deep, but it is either/or both. In my most recent solo exhibition Perpetual Tension (2010), I created large-scale wall hanging pieces using silkscreen and drawing on linen. By exhibiting a sheet of cloth a few inches off the wall, the physical flatness of the picture plane was accentuated.

7.     Process: I value the process of art making. My art goes against ever increasing entropy, restoring balance to areas that are difficult to do so: personal lives that are characterized more by distractions than peace, western society’s attitude that puts people above nature than within it.

Geneva, 2010

[1] In the western world, “living artwork” is not easily understood. The closest concept is Elan Vital, which was a term coined by Henri Bergson(1859-1941.) The term was used in a title of a book that presented works of Kandinsky, Klee, Arp, Miro, Calder [Hubertus Gaßner, Elan vital, or the Eye of Eros: Kandinsky, Klee, Arp, Miro, Calder, (Munich: Haus der Kunst: 1994.]