[비즈한국] The '2024 Busan International Art Fair (BIAF),' an art market where artists and consumers trade directly, is being held at BEXCO Exhibition Center 2 in Busan until the 8th. This year features works from 50 emerging artists, a 40% increase from last year (34 artists). Bizhankook met with artists Kang Myeong-suk, Jeong Yeon-hui, and Kim Yi-rin, who participated in the special exhibition 'K-ART Emerging Artists.' Here is our final interview with Kim Yi-rin.
―"Inviting nature into human space?" What does that mean?
For us humans, nature is a space to escape the intensity of daily life, catch our breath, and find relaxation. If that is the case, where does nature go to find rest? I paint nature being invited into my daily life, playing, enjoying itself, and resting. Nature might feel unfamiliar or awkward at first, but by letting it experience the various forms of rest I have personally enjoyed, I wanted to express my gratitude for the comfort it has provided us. In short, it is an intention to provide sufficient rest by inviting nature into the indoors, which is our ordinary, everyday space. I hope many people will empathize with the preciousness of daily life that I have felt and come to love their own days even more.
―Your work featuring personified nature stands out.
I treated nature as a living entity to acknowledge its agency. Moving beyond typical personification, I incorporated an "effort for nature"—a desire to return rest to nature based on the harmony between humans and nature, as nature has so generously offered us its embrace. Isn't the Eastern view of nature rooted precisely in that harmony between human and nature?
―What are the main materials you use in your work?
True to Korean painting, I used Hanji (traditional Korean paper) as my primary material. The reason it doesn't look like typical Korean painting is that I layered Hanji over burlap. Hanji not only accepts various materials better than Western paper but is also much more durable. I became attracted to its excellent absorbency, which led me to try layering Hanji over burlap, and I evolved from working in two dimensions to creating reliefs. Through the expansion into relief, I personified nature and invited living nature into the interior, which is a human space.
―Looking at your work, it makes me look forward to an outdoor exhibition rather than an indoor one.
Since I am continuing the work of inviting nature into our daily lives, wouldn't indoors be more fitting? However, for a long time, I have wanted to hold an exhibition right in the middle of nature at least once. Of course, the weather and light would act as variables. If I do hold an outdoor exhibition, I hope Bizhankook will come to visit me again then.