[비즈한국] The ‘hoopoe’ is a bird known for its beautiful crest that fans out like a peacock’s tail and its striking black stripes. What could this bird possibly have to do with the ‘2025 Eurasia Busan International Art Fair’? This year, a hoopoe has appeared at the emerging artist booth. The artist’s name is Hoopoe. At 30 years old, they are truly an ‘emerging’ artist. Having graduated from the University of Ulsan’s Department of Western Painting this year, they have begun to flutter their wings with great vigor.
Unlike young artists who often prioritize bold colors and sharp forms, Hoopoe opts for large, ambiguous shapes and neutral, calming tones in blues and greens. Despite having a seemingly inconspicuous appearance, the work commands attention and creates a distinct presence among the various booths. What kind of story are they trying to tell through these paintings?
ㅡWhy did you choose ‘Hoopoe’ as your artist name?
I started using this name when I participated in an off-campus exhibition during my sophomore year. At first, I used it half-jokingly because I wanted to hide my real identity, but then I got my first collector who bought my work. I felt that if the artist ‘Hoopoe’ disappeared, it would be unfair to that person, so I’ve kept using it. I enjoy observing birds and nature, and since I happened to see many hoopoes in my neighborhood at the time, I got hooked and decided to use the name.
ㅡHas your artistic style been consistent from the beginning?
I started painting a shoe series by chance, and I received feedback that the mood was good. I decided to develop this theme further and have been working on it ever since.
ㅡWhy did you choose shoes as your subject matter?
The theme I work with is the adult world seen through the eyes of a younger self. There are aspects of how adults live that make you wonder about their origins. Why did they start wearing such clothes? Why wear high heels? Why paint their toenails such colors? I still harbor these questions, and I try to express them in a way that feels whimsical and cute, like a fairy tale.
ㅡYou paint objects or parts of the human body in extreme close-ups.
My own vision is naturally a bit narrow, and I also intentionally distort perspectives so that viewers have to infer what they are looking at. By filling the frame, the image becomes a starting point for various stories. I think this actually helps broaden the viewer's perspective.
ㅡIs the blurred treatment of the object’s boundaries also intentional?
Yes, it is. The slightly blurry image evokes a nostalgic, hazy atmosphere, and I also like the feeling of an old painting. That’s why I chose oil paint, a traditional medium. Over time, colors naturally fade and dust accumulates; I love the sensibility of looking at dusty antiques or old paintings that my grandmother collected during my childhood. My method of expression seems to fit well with oil painting.
ㅡIt must take a long time to complete a piece.
Oil paint takes a long time to dry, and since I layer the paint in multiple coats, it certainly takes time. However, I have yet to find a medium that surpasses oil paint in terms of the depth it achieves when seen in person.
ㅡWhere do you get the subjects for your paintings?
Sometimes I take nature or phenomena I observe, create my own stories in my head, and keep them for a long time before expressing them as images. I also incorporate things happening around me, or observe the concerns my friends my age have—like marriage—and think from their perspective, questioning the parts I don't understand and resolving them through my work.
ㅡWhat are some realistic difficulties or concerns you face as an emerging artist based in a regional area?
It’s true that there are relatively fewer exhibition opportunities compared to the metropolitan area, but Ulsan and Busan have been increasing their support from the city government, so if you are always prepared and seize the opportunities well, it’s beneficial. I actually think there’s an advantage in having less competition than in the capital area. If you seriously deepen your work, I believe it might actually be a better place to establish yourself than the metropolitan area.
In these times, when many young people flock to Seoul and the capital, and even established artists say it’s difficult to work in the regions, Artist Hoopoe confidently stated they would make their mark right there. A hoopoe usually keeps its crest folded, but it fans it out wide when the time is right. We look forward to seeing Artist Hoopoe move beyond the ‘emerging’ label and fully reveal their capabilities through their work before long. We send our support to this young artist for their ambition and confidence.