‘I live inside the imaginary world, only leaving sometimes.’
Name: 조덕환 / Duk Hwan Cho
Artistic style: Colourful portraits of children as a projection of our our more innocent & imaginative selves.
Biggest artistic influence: Johannes Vermeer, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, and Claude Monet
About the artist
Cho became an artist to show his world to reality. His artwork, by his own description are colourful portraits of children, which he creates to serve as projections of himself, and as a means of having a conversation with (and staying in touch with, something that is very important) his younger, more innocent, and more imaginative self. Looking at his paintings, I would say he is doing a good job of that as well as painting. Cho’s artworks are full of different eras, pop-culture, and are fizzing with something special that I find is hard to properly put into words. His pieces are really unusual, interesting, and they’re special to me. Talking about his work, and how it has evolved over time, Cho said “I personally think I could make good artwork when the gap between art and reality is little. I made a nice atmosphere around me so that I could only focus on my work, thanks to various experiences that I have achieved with many people.
What is your studio or workspace like?
I display the work and change it consistently while I watch it, so my studio is also like in between a working studio and a gallery, it keeps changing to suit with the artwork. For now, it’s calm and vintage.
What is your dream project?
I’m preparing for more various and strong series of ‘Pippi and Atom’, ‘A Magic Cap Story’, and so on, in different studios for a showroom project
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received as an artist?
“Do it your way.”
I love this. It’s really great advice. Similarly, along the same lines, Cho’s advice to artists just starting out is: “Please find pleasure during the process and keep going whenever someone criticises you.”
When you start new pieces, what does your creative process look like? Do you plan each piece out before you start, or do you let the piece come to life as you go?
I don’t have any specific plans for the work, but I focus on the inspiration during the process. I am open to the infinite possibilities that I might gain during the process.
How do you overcome creative blocks?
I work hard to find the answer.
What have you find to be the most challenging thing about painting?
I sometimes face a limit on my physical strength while I am working on my piece.
What’s the best reaction someone has had to your artwork?
I think people felt interested in the mixture of ‘Pippi’ and some emotional nostalgia of the 80s.
What’s been the most surprising thing about being an artist?
When I felt that the artwork itself has its own vibrant life.
What do you hope people take away from your artwork?
I hope the audience could recreate my work by themselves by putting their own stories on the work.
Note
I would like to thank the artist for his time and for his answers, which are thoughtful and considered.
Please visit www.instagram.com/jodukhwan to see more of his artwork 🙂
A special thank you to Kim Yeunjin of Korean Art London for her considerable efforts in translating.