Wookyoung Kim in Conversation with Artist, Jinuk Song
Jinuk Song in front of Non-mainstream Beauty: L Series NO.04, 2020.
Jinuk Song’s figurative paintings depict objects that refuse to conform to today’s beauty standards. The models in his artworks have crooked noses and mouths, moles and spots or squint, but through the artist’s gaze they are transformed into modern icons. By styling them from head to toe, Song juxtaposed normed concepts with new perspectives on beauty, showcasing that fashion largely determines how we are perceived within society.
MADE IN BED contributor Wookyoung Kim interviewed Jinuk Song to discuss his relationship with fashion, his sources of inspiration and creative work process, as well as what’s next for him.
Non-mainstream Beauty: L Series NO.04, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 91 x 116.8 cm, 2020.
Wookyoung Kim: You have a major in fashion design and worked in the fashion industry - could you tell us a little bit about your journey of becoming an artist?
Jinuk Song: I always wanted to make art, however, when I was young, going to an art academy in South Korea was not affordable. That is why I entered a fashion school instead of an art school. I took many fashion-related classes in my college, I particularly liked fashion illustration. As a hobby, I uploaded my fashion illustrations on Instagram. Thankfully, a gallery contacted me to suggest an exhibition because they enjoyed my posts. That was the starting point to keep creating works of art. The first exhibition brought me to the next one, and the next one linked to another one - I started making bigger works and using Fine Art materials like oil. I was more like a fashion illustrator before, but I naturally moved on to painting.
WK: You describe the relationship between you and your paintings as that of a stylist and a model – to what extent does your education as a fashion designer influence your work?
JS: Studying fashion was the second-best choice at that time but I wanted to become an artist ultimately. Now I am creating artworks by making use of my past education. In terms of material, my experience keeps influencing all my work, for instance, it is helpful that I know how to do make-up at a professional level.
Non-mainstream Beauty: L Series NO.03, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 72 x 90.9 cm, 2020.
WK: I like the composition and texture of the paintings - could you share your work process and point of focus?
JS: I work with memory and attractive objects - I plan my drawings as if they were a photoshoot. I don’t cast real models, I imagine virtual models first and design a concept, space, colours, materials, and items. When I draw a model, I start with the nude drawing, even in parts the audience cannot see, and then I put clothes on them.
Clothes are changeable depending on what looks better on the models. Since I have professional make-up skills, I do their eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick as if they were a real person. Accessories are crucial at the end of the work, I use acrylic for depicting gems.
Moles and pimples are like accessories in my painting - a lumpy mascara, lipstick on the tooth, and dots are painted on the screen like decoration. The models’ gaze deliberately doesn't look straight; eyes are directed upwards to make it easier for the audience to look at them because eye contact can cause intimidation. If I had to pick one, the most difficult part of a work is the hairstyle because it hugely affects the entire image. It is usually added in the final stage - to avoid wasting my efforts in the previous process, I should be more careful with the hair.
I believe that a good work of art is the result of hard work and touches the viewer more. To carry on and retouch until I am satisfied is pretty hard.
Non-mainstream Beauty: L Series NO.12, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 72.7 x 60.6 cm, 2021.
WK: The exhibition Non-mainstream beauty: an unprocessed gem of unique charm looks interesting and fashionable - why did you pick this subject matter?
JS: When I studied fashion, I questioned the standard of beauty. There was an experiment in which a man wore two different types of clothing and asked strangers to infer his job - when he wore a suit, they said he seemed to have a good job; when he was dressed in a different way, they thought he was unemployed or a student. This result meant that men could convey conflicting images whilst being the same person.
From a young age, I was attracted to what people consider useless - for example, when I travelled, I took pictures of things ignored by people and kept trash-looking things with care. Objects that don’t seem suitable within social standards look beautiful to me.
The models in my paintings present in this exhibition are fictional characters, a combination of flaws that we want to hide and features we don’t want to have. These characters are defects themselves, but I created their style by painting them in a way that I think is beautiful, so that people can feel they are beautiful.
There are different types of fashion styles such as elegant, modern, and mannish - L Series talks about luxury; this doesn’t mean that a luxury item or money is what makes beauty; it just throws light on luxury style as one among various concepts. There are models behind sofas in my work that symbolize wealth and honour. I’ve seen someone buy an expensive couch and use it only as decoration for fear of crumpling. The same goes for the figures behind the sofa, they look like they are protecting a Chanel bag on a rainy day. This is because the figures have not enjoyed living beyond the social standard of beauty. It also reflects the trauma that I experienced in the past. On the contrary, the person sitting on the couch is a person who enjoys living, representing the present and future and has overcome the experience.
The reason why I chose animals as a subject is [because] I think people apply a similar beauty standard to animals and plants. One day when I found withered leaves of a plant, which would be thrown away because they have no product value, I felt a charm and attraction. Also, when I saw something that was consumed as part of a temporary event like illuminated mice during the Year of the Rat, I wondered what I should do to keep them in memory. In this exhibition, there are pigs and bulls, and I only worked with their appearances rather than the traditional meaning people have given them.
WK: Some of your works can seem satirical – do social issues influence you?
JS: My works can be considered as a ‘love your flaws’ message but I have no intention of making social satire or criticism; I want to leave that up to the audience because I don’t want to force a perspective or deliver a particular message. I like the models in my paintings full of flaws, they are beautiful. I express what I think is beautiful through paintings to enjoy it together with the audience.
It may be insignificant to someone, but I feel responsible because I believe that a work of art can influence people, who see it. So, there are a lot of social issues, but I try to focus on my personal experiences.
Non-mainstream Beauty: L Series NO. A14, pencil, charcoal, acrylic on panel, 45.5 x 53cm, 2021.
WK: Where do you get inspiration? Are there artists or art historical movements that inspire you?
JS: I used to refer back to a lot of artists and their works in the past, but now I am inspired by everyday life, for example - looking at a snack bag. One reference is the Korean TV show Alley Restaurant. Many restaurant owners are on the show, and one of them said he must work hard, then customers will be happy. From this episode, I learned how to have a good attitude as an artist. When I am not confident or confused about what to do, it can sometimes be solved by listening to people from other industries.
When I choose an object to paint, I use raw references. If I plan to draw a mouse, I gather sources on real mice, I study the object and interpret it from my perspective. In this exhibition, the bulls putting their tongue in their nose were the result of studying their behaviour.
Non-mainstream Beauty: L Series NO. A13, pencil, charcoal, acrylic on canvas, 24.2 x 33.4 cm, 2021 .
WK: What does this exhibition mean to you?
JS: This exhibition was meaningful because it was the first L Series solo show that also included [paintings from the] Animal Series. It was also helpful in a practical way [because] I was drawing models in random fashion styles before the Non-mainstream Beauty: L Series- the concept of this solo show is the importance of styling.
WK: What can we expect from you and your work in the future?
JS: I have plans for around the next 20 years. For now, my focus is on L Series and Animal Series. I will keep showing my artworks through galleries and other exhibition spaces.
When it comes to expectations, some have said the models in my paintings are ugly and even scary. I don’t create a painting with the intention of representing how it should be viewed, so I am always welcoming any kind of reaction and interpretation. They are beautiful to me. I just want to thank those, who empathise with my work.
Thank you, Jinuk!
Imagery courtesy of Jinuk Song.
Find more of Jinuk Song’s work on his Instagram @j.nuk.
Wookyoung Kim,
Contributor, MADE IN BED