…Sang Jun Yoo
Hi, how are you?
Hi there! Thank you for your interview request. I feel overwhelmed because I never had a chance that someone interviewing me before. I have been very busy these days for installing my graduation show. I am happy that all of my installation worked out well in the show. Now I want to go travel somewhere without a burden, just for myself. freedom.
Eheh. Can you tell us anything about your graduation show? Do you have any photos about it?
As you know, the graduation show is an exhibition that senior students show their final thesis works. All student’s works were diverse and inspiring.
you can see more information about my school’s thesis show here.
Mmh, here in Italy we don’t have exhibitions like yours. What did yourself develop?
I am not quite sure what you mean by exhibitions like mine.. Can you specify more?
Sure. We don’t have graduation shows.
I believe there is some kind of exhibition for whom graduates that sums up their study in the school. When I went to Cologne, Germany for an exchange student, I luckily had a chance to participate a kind of graduation exhibition called ‘Rundgang’. Also I had a final Thesis show in my school in NYC. Many people visit to see the opening of the show and chat about. It appears somewhat superficial in some way, but it is no doubt every student did their best work to present to the Thesis show.
I was talking about Italian universities :-) We don’t have shows like those. Anyway I think that can be a great opportunity for students. Not?
oh yes, I just presumed any ‘art school’ have sort of graduation show.. you know. german school was an example from my experience in europe. :) and Yes. the graduation show is very important for students.. well isn’t it a very important time of life becoming a non student anyway..
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Sangjun, Yoo. self claimed a media artist also a designer. I design and make stuff whatever my interest follows, and usually photograph and listen music everyday. I have never involved in any artistic study or career since I was a graphic designer in south korea, worked 3 years in design industry. I came to new york city about 3 years ago to pursue a dream to be a successful designer, ironically became a design student again. Then I realized what I really want to do is making artworks, in design school. :-D It was a huge challenge for me that against everything in my reality. Anyway, I am going to graduate my study very soon.. also I just became 30 years old, and it feels great.
This is quite interesting :-) how would you define New York art scene?
Since I am very new to the art scene, it is hard to describe how the nyc art scene appears to be. The NYC art scene seems very much connected to the art work’s reputation to be curated or collected, because the art fairs and exhibitions have intimate relationship to its financial value. There are limited opportunities to present new media or installation art work since the media art scene is shifting based on event’s characteristic. I would say it is important to find a specific gallery or curator to present your own work in public.
Can I ask you if you are already in touch with any galleries or curators?
I have a few on-going projects now. And I am looking for possible connections in art & tech scene.
Where do you grew up?
I born in seoul, south korea in 1982. I lived 27 years in there.
Do you think South Korea is a nice place for designers?
South Korea has established design industry that became a huge part of nation’s infra structure. Not only many design agencies, but also the major corporation has its own design department in south korea. Therefore, south korean design industry is very competitive, and has formed to be a pyramid scheme. Therefore, I believe the south korean design industry would seek more talented designers and artists with a global perspective from the outside of south korea.
Do you remember the exact moment when you tought ‘I want to be involved in this field’?
Me as a designer, my impetus on designing art works has started with using technology as a medium, also I realized that every creative outcomes share the way of thinking, because I always have been considered the design as one of the processes on realizing my ideas. Finding boundaries between art and design by bridging physical and technological medium seemed like my next step for creating design or art forms. I never claim myself as an artist or a designer. My goal as a creator always been stated somewhere between natural and artificial surroundings of me. Therefore, being an interdisciplinary creator who utilizes various mediums and inspirations came natural to me to process my way of thinking.
Can you tell us anything about your typical method?
Basically, all my impetus comes from a mundane daily life, yet very personal. I bring a question to clarify my impetus on designing artworks. Sometimes, I question myself perceiving specific things in between variety of appearances in my life, but also my endless desire and movement toward my perspective. Because we state in an artificial world which is designed by human beings, I see there is a dilemma to find myself in a natural space over my artificial surroundings. Therefore, the key subject in my impetus is a term ‘Distance’. Why am I longing other side? What drives me to process time and space. I always develop my ideas based on a contemplation over physical and psychological distance to someone or something else.
This is quite interesting. What role has the Internet in your daily life?
Internet connects people and knowledges of course. It has overcame a physical distance to connect and communicate people. To me, the beginning of personal website has influenced me a lot. I naturally got into a cyber space while I became fascinated on building my personal website. I believe the internet connects almost everything on earth, however the people communicates, not the internet itself. But we are still on a same planet.. What I learned from the internet is the enormous existences of similar life just like me.
Do you think the Internet will overlay reality?
Internet is just a tool.. it’s powerless without users interactivity. it’s just a reflection of the reality. this can’t be inverted.
What do you think of augmented reality?
argumented means, the original matter doesn’t change, then you add on something to project different perspectives.. i know numerous argumented interface has been developed nowadays. it seems designed for a user-centered interactivity, rather understanding the personal relations originally have with the original matters. from my perspective, the user driven interface has some flaw, understanding human relationship is nothing like the argumented reality. it’s always a two way street.. your perspective will shift but the others. I want to say it is an argumented perspective, rather reality.
The Italian artist Fupete wrote that “nowadays the first page of your website is often the only public face of you”. What do you think?
i agree… when I designed my personal website for the first time, the main page was all about my favorite music !! :-D now it is changed for a the direct access to my work apparently. that’s what I learned from design school. facebook helped me somehow.. still I am uploading my favorite music on facebook.
This is quite interesting: do you think social networks changed the way to feature yourself and your works?
of course. facebook, twitter, linkedin etc. more visibility is a way to promote your work, but it has a limitation with less credibility. i’d say the social networking is just a bridge to generate more connections to other. the original content doesn’t change much even has
a million replies and shares.. the process of these networks is very inspiring to both publisher and consumer.
What future is waiting us, in your own opinion?
I guess your question answers itself. Every individuals have different ideas about future. I just think every networks are processes since the future is uncertain and unpredictable. There are only questions.
What are you working on these days?
I am working on my next project about a translation between human and the mundane nature of our lives. we translate very differently even on a tiny event in our lives: from your last night dreams to your face in the bathroom mirror. I try to work with various mediums rather using computer generated images.
Wow, this looks really interesting! Can you tell us anything more about this project?
Well.. I aim to design an artwork that shows the deep, lasting impact of incredibly simple pleasures. For example, Slowly rocking window curtains against the sunlight is one of the most beautiful images I’ve ever seen. or the changing colors of building under moving light and shadow throughout the day changes our state of mind with a different translation. Under the most mundane happenings around us, we progress our time and space differently. I aim to approach this individual translation through the general perceptions in our lives.
Fine, the interview is over. Thank you Sang Jun, is there anything else would you like to say to our readers?
sure, thank you for liking my projects. and hopefully looking forward to meet you with new projects.
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