brilliant 30: Jihye Park

Depicting the psychology behind human relationships

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Jihye Park, Recreating the Butterfly Effect

"The butterfly effect" is a popular theory of chaos which claims that a large storm in Texas can be caused by the flap of a butterfly’s wing in Brazil. The butterfly effect speaks of the sensitivity caused by individual choices, which in turn can affect the course of a larger system. Jihye Park’s work based on personal experiences that generate powerful results in this vein.
The articulation of one’s thoughts and experiences is mostly an expression of an internal monologue. Rather than conveying her experience in a fixed, determined state to her viewers, the artist presents her work in a way that leaves room for broad interpretation and dialogue. Park’s narration of singular events opens up space for multiple perspectives. Amidst this busy traffic of consuming information and producing new meanings, Park focuses on the aesthetic aspects of her work, as well as the structure and system that support them. This system is what triggers the collision of cultures making up the larger system. Park illustrates that minute actions such as social behavior among family members can result in the collapse of national social conventions.

The viewer fills in the blanks to produce a small building block for a new system; this change leads to the breakdown of a larger socio-cultural system.
Park’s work is not grandiose in subject or in scale. She focuses on day-to-day moments which are usually considered insignificant, and objects by which we happen to pass. Park recognizes these minute units as triggers that can generate a domino-effect, eventually leading to a storm. Restructuring the existing system generates opportunities to question our social roles and the rationale of the socio-cultural system we were placed in: “What is the meaning of family, and what defines familial relationships?” Jihye Park’s film is a critical reflection of conventional social behavior, the breakdown and reconstruction of cultural systems.

Interview

Q. Recently, you shifted your medium from film to collage. What is the story behind this decision?

I worked mostly with film until 2010. That year, I began experimenting with collage. There came to a point where I wanted my work to be independent from lighting, camera, actors, staff and other film equipment. I did not think the film alone could satisfy my urge to create something entirely different. I was sitting at home one day, and picked up some scissors. I began cutting and pasting things onto paper. That’s how I picked up my new medium.

I began to want to approach these personal issues at a deeper level. Rather than representing people and events around me through illustrations, I wanted to speak of the causes behind conflicts. The project was a lot more complex than I thought. The cause behind the conflict that arose amongst my family members was delicately intertwined with the conventions that existed in our society at large. - Jihye Park -

Q. Could you elaborate on your most recent work, <Labyrinthos>?

This title is derived from Greek mythology; "Labyrinth" comes from the Greek word “Labyrinthos.” It was not easy coming up with a title for this particular work. So, for the exhibits early in my career, I went with the title “Young Man with a Pipe.” One day, I came across the word “Labyrinthos” and chose this as the title for my film.
Most of my works used to speak about my personal experiences. I like to use characters from fairytales and folklore and personify them as my family members. As my work progressed, I began to want to approach these personal issues at a deeper level. Rather than representing people and events around me through illustrations, I wanted to speak of the causes behind conflicts. The project was a lot more complex than I thought. The cause behind the conflict that arose amongst my family members was delicately intertwined with the conventions that existed in our society at large. Gendered perspectives, traditions and customs and expectations from certain family members determined our roles and expectations; when these were not met, conflicts arose. I wanted to represent this phenomenon metaphorically in my film.

One screen shows a man playing a pipe, and the other shows three young women dressed in white. This work is about an actual incident that happened in India in 2013, wherein three sisters were found dead in a well. It was a rape and murder crime committed by a group of neighbors and relatives. I reflected on the appropriation of relationships, and decided to articulate these thoughts in my film. Rather than defining my thoughts, I left room for a dialogue and different interpretations.

Q. What inspired you to begin your work?

This is probably not the answer you hoped to hear but my childhood dream was not to become an artist. My parents and teachers would say that I had a knack in art. Perhaps this was why I did not think pursuing other paths was even an option. The answer was already there before me: I was to become an artist.

Q. Your work generally deals with socio-political issues. What is the message you wish to convey through your work?

There was one point in my life where I wanted to engage my art as a force for social change - to give voices of the underprivileged or to be an activist of my community. The bottom line was that dealing with heavy subjects did not match my character. Yes, my work does leave room for interpretation, but the beginnings of my work lie at an extremely personal level rather than having been provoked by external events.

Introduction to <brilliant 30>, leading you to 30 inspirations of young artist

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<Breaking The Waves>

Channel video, sound track_4mins 36sec_2014
<Trust To Me>

Victorian scrapped collage_49x55.5cm_2014
<Labyrinthos 2013-Young Man With a Pipe>

2 Channel video, soundtrack_7mins 39sec_2013
<Labyrinthos 2013-Three Young Ladies>

2 Channel video, soundtrack_7mins 39sec_2013
<Lost in the Fathomless Waters>

Single channel video, soundtrack_3mins 29sec_2010
<Series of Enchanted-02>

Victorian scrap collage_58x76cm_2012
<Series of Enchanted-03>

Victorian scrap collage_68x77cm_2013
<Labyrinthos 2013 Installation View>

2 Channel video, soundtrack_7mins 39sec_2013
<The Impure Vacuum>

4 Channel video, soundtrack_27mins 24sec_2012

Profile

Jihye Park received her B.F.A. in fine art and art criticism and M.F.A. in fine art from Goldsmiths, University of London. After 10 years of studying in the United Kingdom, she returned to Korea in 2011 and engaged in artist residency programs at Goyang National Art Studio, run by the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Park has been given grand prix prize from Joongang Fine Arts Prize. She has participated in major group exhibitions at the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome, Cologne OFF 2013 and Sun Contemporary gallery. She also had solo exhibitions at Songeun Art Cube and Tenderpixel Gallery.