Artist: Jeah Hyuck
Studio: Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Biggest artistic inspiration: Zadie Xa
Favourite quote: “The automatic writing phenomenon was an effect of autosuggestion produced by autohypnotization, leading to the emergence of a secondary self.” -Theodore Flournoy
Meet emerging artist, Jeah Hyuck, who had his art showcased here in London earlier this year as part of StART Art Fair 2023 at the Saatchi Gallery. We spoke briefly at the exhibition, and I was impressed with the attention and thought he puts into his work and was therefore glad to have the opportunity to speak with him in more detail. Hyuck happily answered all my questions with the same good nature I encountered when we first met.
Hyuck, happily describes his studio (located on the outskirts of Seoul), as being a peaceful place where many other artists work and a nice space where he can focus. Hyuck considers painting and art to have always “been the most enjoyable and entertaining activity for me. When Hyuck graduated from Goldsmiths Fine Art (with an impressive first class honours), he was gathering attention and interest from exhibitions about his work, but then the pandemic hit and Hyuck, like many others, “had to give up many things.” After returning to Korea, Hyuck continued working in the arts field for approximately a year before enlisting and carrying out his military service. Following his discharge, Hyuck reached out to the aforementioned gallerist and was extended an invitation to showcase his works at the Saatchi Gallery here in London.
Hyuck describes his work as being “created through automatic writing” and a means through which he is able to feel “like I am talking my persona”. He takes inspiration from a wide range of places, and is energised by the development of ideas every bit as much as he is by “just normal days.” Talking about the meaning and depth that inspires his pieces, Hyuck shared with me that it is not his intention to pursue anything in particular. “I am,” he said, “just showing myself. I [also] want to let people think about themselves” and hopes that his art will prompt viewers to consider questions, such as: “who am I?”, “what I am really thinking now?” As for himself, Hyuck described himself as a person who likes to follow the classic way, something which he channels into his art. “One day,” he said, “I tried to communicate all the words I wanted to say through my art. The endless layers of words I wrote down represented my innermost thoughts, feelings, and emotions that I had suppressed in the name of distractions.”
When I asked Hyuck if he has a favourite piece of art amongst his creations, he replied that although he values all of his pieces, it is his art ‘the Jeah Jullien’. This is because Hyuck feels that it contains his background, childhood, and lots of memories. “It is,” he added “most likely a self-portrait. Jullien was probably the first person I ever drew and the one that I’ve drawn the most. At the time, I didn’t know who Jullien was, nor why I was drawing him – I was simply copying [earlier versions] to improve my skill. I didn’t have a certain purpose. When I look back on that time, I think about “what I’m passionate about at present?” and this motivates me to work harder.
I was really interested to learn more about his series ‘Brain Sketch’, which Hyuck described as his first (and most popular) series work. Since making the decision to pursue a career as an artist, Hyuck shared with me that he has struggled to put his stories and knowledge into a single piece of work. This is, he said, because his “ideas change and become deeper as I progress.” He found early on that his artistic interests lie outside of painting figures, which he does not regard as an efficient or satisfying way for him personally to express the many thoughts and feelings he has.
“My life while living abroad”, Hyuck continued, “was like a diaspora. I endeavored to erase my own identity and mimic the behaviours of the locals, in order to assimilate into their society. Paradoxically, these efforts only served to highlight my feelings of diasporic identity. One day, I realised that to assimilate into a [foreign] country, I needed to acknowledge myself as a stranger.”
To release himself from what he describes as the constraints of persona, Hyuck delved into how his ideas turned to the concept of automatism, which is in an interesting topic to explore. In a nutshell, Automatism takes its meaning from physiology, where the term is used to describe unconsciously controlled “bodily movements” (breathing being a good example). So, within the context of our conversation and in artistic terms, it serves as a means for Hyuck to allow his “fleeting thoughts to flow without restraint. This revealed [to me] buried images suppressed by society, and unveiled desires, cravings, and longings stifled by societal norms. Through this process, I could release my muted thoughts, enabling me to objectively view myself and discover my true identity.”
We then turned to his piece ‘Jeometric’, and the meaning behind it. As with all his pieces, the answer that followed was came from a place of deep thought. “From a young age,” he shared, “I’ve been trying to find connectivity. We live in a world marked by a lack of co-operation. Everyone has their own personas, and people often assimilate into society to become a part of it. In order to fit in, we frequently suppress our desires, thoughts, and aspirations behind a facade that fits the situation. I covered the figure with my thoughts and words, and in doing so, I discovered a reflection of myself within it. As I gazed at the junction of the cone and cuboid, I could glimpse the intersection of persona and reality. I realized that this figure is a representation of our lives. We exist as uncooperative figures, and I observe us from the junction.
Hyuck believes that the key to success is to keep studying and believe in yourself.
Bonus: Hyuck shared with me that following his military service he participated in a TV programme called “KBS No Money No Art.”