박주영 / Jooyoung Park

Artist Statement

I continue to draw and paint. I observe the world and record what I discover through my work. When I climb, I create climbing characters; when I work on a smart farm, I transform plants and agriculture into imaginary characters. Today, alongside these characters, I am working on Chaeun (彩雲), a series of cloud paintings that explores rest and possibility. A recurring character in my work, Amnyamnyomnyang, symbolizes a being capable of trying anything. I created the character as someone who manages a smart farm, conducts experiments, paints, works with tools, and continually takes on new challenges. For me, the character is also a message of encouragement to myself. I hope that, for those who encounter my work, Amnyamnyomnyang can evoke the thought, “There are new possibilities for me, too.” A life filled with learning and new experiences is enjoyable, but it can also move very quickly. Whenever life becomes busy, the sky and clouds I see when I pause and look upward offer me a sense of rest. I paint clouds because I want to hold on to those moments. I hope that those who look at my paintings can also pause for a moment, catch their breath, and share in the sense of comfort I experienced. The title of my cloud series, Chaeun (彩雲), refers to clouds illuminated in multiple colors by sunlight. Traditionally, such colorful clouds have also been regarded as an auspicious sign. Just as unexpectedly discovering a chaeun in the sky can feel like encountering a small moment of good fortune, I gave the series this name with the hope that those who encounter my work may also be met with a little happiness and good fortune in their lives. I believe that rest and possibility are connected. A moment of pausing to catch one’s breath can also become a moment in which new possibilities emerge. I hope my work can evoke such moments and offer a small source of strength that allows people to move forward again at their own pace. I work primarily in painting because I enjoy the process of gradually filling a large surface. When depicting clouds, I use gel stone to create a texture that feels as close to clouds as possible. I am also interested in extending the images in my paintings beyond the flat surface, transforming them into forms that can become part of everyday life. My work always begins with everyday life. I discover what I want to paint in the landscapes and experiences I encounter each day, then research and observe extensively in order to express them more fully. If a work does not take the form I want, I return to it the next day, and then again the day after, continuing to add and revise. After repeating this process, there comes a moment when I feel that removing something is more necessary than adding more. That is when I finally consider the work complete. Today, I continue to observe the world and make art. I want to record moments of rest and possibility found in everyday life through a variety of works. I hope my work can become a place where someone pauses for a while, rediscovers their own pace, and makes room for new possibilities. And just like the unexpected moment of discovering a colorful cloud in the sky, I hope that encountering my work may bring with it a small moment of happiness and good fortune.