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How have your personal experiences growing up in South Korea influenced your artistic practice, particularly your exploration of beauty standards?

Growing up in South Korea, I was constantly exposed to rigid beauty standards that emphasized fair skin and certain body types. These societal expectations shaped the way I viewed myself and others. My experiences with colorism and body image were not just personal struggles, but deeply embedded in the cultural fabric. In my work, I aim to confront these standards by dissecting how they’re perpetuated, particularly through practices like skin whitening and the pressure to conform to a specific mold. I explore how beauty standards impact our sense of identity, using materials and performance to critique the idea of beauty as something that needs to be achieved, rather than accepted.

Your work often focuses on the intersection of vulnerability and societal norms. How do you channel these concepts into your sculptures and installations?

In my practice, vulnerability is a key theme because it’s often through our most personal, fragile experiences that societal pressures are most felt. I channel this vulnerability into my sculptures and installations by creating objects that engage the body—either through performance or tactile interaction. For example, in pieces like “Mogyoktang,” I used the ritual of exfoliation, a practice that embodies both care and violence, to symbolize the internal conflict between self-acceptance and the societal drive for perfection. My sculptures often incorporate materials that are both delicate and harsh, reflecting the tension of trying to meet external expectations while confronting personal insecurities.

Could you describe the inspiration and process behind your recent project, Happy Factory, and the significance of the repeated, imperfect faces in the installation?

“Happy Factory” was inspired by the larger systems of beauty, competition, and societal hierarchy. Rather than focusing on individual experiences, I wanted to create a commentary on how these systems operate on a collective level. The repeated, imperfect faces in the installation reflect the idea that no matter how much we try to conform, the idealized version of beauty is always out of reach. Each face in the piece is slightly different, symbolizing the constant struggle to fit into a mold while acknowledging that true perfection is unattainable. The repetitive nature of the faces emphasizes how the cycle of striving for perfection is unending, creating a sense of discomfort for the viewer.

How does the Korean exfoliating mitt symbolize your relationship with beauty standards and cultural expectations?

The Korean exfoliating mitt, a tool often used for body scrubbing in public bathhouses, represents the physical manifestation of beauty standards. Growing up, I was subjected to treatments designed to make my skin “cleaner” and “lighter,” which ties directly into the colorism embedded in Korean beauty culture. The mitt itself symbolizes both the violence and care embedded in these beauty practices—scrubbing away imperfections while reinforcing the need to conform. In my work, I’ve used the mitt as a metaphor for the societal pressure to erase parts of ourselves in order to fit into an idealized version of beauty.

The kinetic elements in your work create an immersive experience for viewers. How do you decide on the movement, sounds, and interactivity of these elements?

The kinetic elements in my work are designed to be more than just physical movement—they serve as metaphors for the internal dynamics of struggle and release. For instance, in some of my recent installations, I use sound and movement to reflect the tension between the body and the system. The decision on how to move these elements comes from considering the emotional impact I want the viewer to feel. The sounds can be jarring or soothing, depending on whether I want to evoke discomfort or reflection. Movement can be slow and deliberate, or rapid and chaotic, representing how societal pressures can feel overwhelming and relentless. The interactivity invites the viewer to engage with the piece on a personal level, making them an active participant in the narrative of struggle and healing.

You describe a mix of playfulness and discomfort in your art. How do you achieve this balance, and what reactions do you hope to evoke in your audience?

The balance of playfulness and discomfort in my art comes from creating a space where the viewer is invited to question the status quo, but also to engage with the work in a way that feels approachable. I often incorporate humor or absurdity in my pieces, which creates a sense of playfulness, but then juxtapose that with elements that make the viewer feel uneasy, like repetitive motion or exaggerated body imagery. This balance helps to make the critique of societal norms more accessible while still challenging the viewer. I hope the audience walks away feeling both reflective and unsettled—questioning not only the beauty standards they may uphold but their complicity in perpetuating them.

In your statement, you mention the “impossibility of fitting our bodies to obsessive standards.” How do you see your art contributing to the conversation about individuality versus societal expectations?

My art seeks to challenge the idea that we need to fit ourselves into a mold created by external expectations. The impossible pursuit of fitting into narrow beauty standards is at the heart of much of my work, and I use my sculptures, performances, and installations to make visible the tension between individuality and societal pressure. By portraying the body in ways that are exaggerated or deformed, I aim to highlight the absurdity of trying to fit into one singular idea of beauty. Through this process, I hope to spark a conversation about how we can begin to value individuality over conformity and understand that our uniqueness is not something that needs to be erased to fit into society’s ideals.

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