Interior 2, watercolor and pencil on paper, 16″ x 18″, 2013
Atlanta-based painter InKyoung Chun successfully captured the energy of different objects through bubbles in her first solo show over at {Poem88} this past March, less than a year after earning her MFA from Georgia State. Entitled bowl, home, energy, culture, corner, table, earth, space, embrace, everything, the show explored how ‘ki energy’ flows from one thing to the other with the use of bubbles while paying homage to her Korean heritage. More recently, she’s taken a place in Atlanta’s growing art community as the recipient of the 2013-2013 Emerging Artists Award from the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs and was a WonderRoot Walthall Fellow.
We talked to Chun about energy, her artistic process and what’s next for her.
CommonCreativ: Congratulations on receiving the Emerging Artists Award. Did getting your MFA prepare you for this?
InKyoung Chun: I graduated in May 2012—over my graduate years, I worked pretty diligently to produce a good amount of works, and ended up having a meaningful and satisfying MFA solo exhibition. Also, I was grateful that I had enough materials and subject matters to work on as a post-MFA graduate artist. I was just trying to show what I’ve been doing as an emerging artist to OCA and fortunately the OCA liked it. I’m grateful for that.
CC: How did you prepare for your first solo show?
IKC: I’ve been working on the invisible energy flow of the space in my art. After graduation, I kept working hard and had many paintings for Robin [Bernat, the {Poem88} curator] and me to choose the right ones for my solo show.
CC: Your bubbles are supposed to represent ‘ki energy.’ How does that work?
IKC: I believe all things have their own energy. Even non-living objects have their own energy. A bowl of rice contains energy. I wanted to visualize this hidden power in life as bubbles. Bubbles are pretty looking, exist only briefly and disappear in sight, but they ‘e still there. I thought the charming character of bubbles would be perfect for me to convey the secret energy of ‘ki’ flow.
Dollhouse Play – blue, mixed media, 2013
CC: How did you start incorporating dollhouses into your projects?
IKC: When I was a second-year GSU graduate student, my seminar group happened to visit John Wieland’s private collection, which was all art works about home. I was completely fascinated by the collection. There were all kinds of house-related paintings, photographs and sculptures. My painting subject was the ‘ki’ flow inside and outside of the home when I was visiting the collection. After that visit, I wanted make a three-dimensional house with bubbles. I was inspired by the beautiful house sculptures created for the collection.
CC: In what ways does your Korean heritage influence your work?
IKC: Fundamentally, I think I am very Korean. My work is about living in the Unites States as a Korean woman. Of course, the main idea of ‘ki’ flow is a Korean philosophical idea. My Korean heritage lives naturally in my work.
CC: Tell me about your time as a WonderRoot Walthall Fellow. How did you grow as an artist?
IKC: It was a beautiful and meaningful year. I met 10 great fellow artists and we all became good friends. Maggie Ginastra and Chris Appleton at WonderRoot are wonderful and fully supportive. They let us meet many interesting and inspiring art-related people. Also, my mentorship with Seana Reilly was a precious experience for me. I became more conscious and caring about the local art community as an artist.
CC: What’s your thought process when choosing a theme and media for your shows?
IKC: I ask myself, what is the most interesting thing to do as an artist at the moment? [Then I] start writing notes. That’s just the beginning. Some ideas are possible to realize and some are not. I start with the possible ideas.
Kevin’s ball, oil on canvas, 20″ x 10″, 2013
CC: What are your favorite materials to work with?
IKC: Usually painting and drawing materials are my familiar ones, but I want to expand my materials for more creative possibility.
CC: Where do you find your inspiration?
IKC: Everywhere in my life and from those around me. Life itself is a powerful inspiration. If we pay attention to our daily life, inspiration can be anywhere. Art always lets us see,think and feel things differently. We live our daily lives always missing things—art wakes us up and makes us become whole beings.
Interior study, oil on canvas, dimensions vary, 2013
CC: What are your favorite projects in Atlanta right now?
IKC: Of course, the OneOne Walthall fellowship group exhibition at MOCA GA and the Blow Up: Five Artists show at {Poem88}—I’m participating in these two shows!
CC: What are your thoughts in Atlanta’s current art scene?
IKC: It’s getting more active and exciting. The Atlanta art community is very conscious about being inclusive these days. Many artists are working hard for that, so it’ll be better and should be better. I’m a part of Atlanta, I like Atlanta and Atlanta likes me. I can’t function right without Atlanta’s support.
CC: What’s next for you?
IKC: First, I want to take a break for a little while. Then, I’ll keep working and look for more opportunities to share my work. At the same time, I want to study more about Western and Eastern philosophical thoughts, art theories and criticisms.
See InKyoung Chun’s work at the ONE ONE exhibition at MOCA GA, on view through June 8th + at {Poem88} at the Blow Up: Five Artists show, on view through May 25. For more info on Chun, check out inkyoungchoichun.com.
