Congratulations to Yejin Oh for earning her place as a Finalist in the Boynes Artist Award 9th Edition [Young Artist category]!

Who are you?

My name is Yejin Oh, born in South Korea in 1997. I have enjoyed drawing since a young age, and I started art education at the age of 14. In 2018, I entered Kingston University in London to study Fine Art, and I graduated this year. Currently, I am engaged in artistic activities in both the UK and Korea

What inspired you to utilize Painting as a medium?

In Korean art universities, oil painting is commonly taught, and since most students work with oil painting, I also began learning it in my freshman year of university. While working with oil paints, the most appealing aspect was the incredible variety of techniques available. The broad range of expressive possibilities led me to believe that I can convey my intended stories in diverse ways, which is why I make use of painting as a medium.

How would you describe your ARTwork?

A point of interest among viewers who have seen my paintings is that while some people perceive a sense of sadness, others describe a feeling of beauty. Even when looking at the same artwork, there exist contrasting interpretations. I would like to explain that my work provides viewers with a wide range of emotional shifts, stemming from the fact that opposite interpretations coexist within the same piece.

Can you discuss the inspiration and thought process behind your winning work?

I draw artistic inspiration from my mental health struggles. Therefore, in the process of finding inspiration and ideas, the first step involves collecting a range of emotions I experienced while striving to overcome my mental health issues. Next, I gather photographic references that can visually represent these emotions. These photographs usually involve people close to me with whom I share intense emotional connections, or they become depictions of parts of my own body. When using these photographs as references for my paintings, I express emotions through techniques like color schemes and pointillism-like methods.

Can you walk us through the technical steps of creating your winning work?

As mentioned earlier, I create paintings using a pointillism-like technique. Engaging in the obsessive act of meticulously placing numerous dots, each varying in color and slightly in size, allows me to immerse myself to the point of forgetting my anxiety.

What do you hope to communicate to an audience with your work?

Just as I share all the emotions and experiences I've felt – sadness, beauty, longing, and more – through my art, I hope they, too, experience my journey and offer their own diverse interpretations of my work.

Can you talk about your biggest learning experience during the process of creating your work?

While the technical skills learned in school or workshops are undoubtedly important, being in London provided me with the most significant experience when I had the opportunity to visit an exhibition by my favorite artist, Henrik Aa. Uldalen. Conversation with him was immensely influential for me. At that time, I had some dissatisfaction with the texture of canvas, and he recommended trying painting on wood panels. This suggestion led to the most significant transformation and growth in my painting journey. I am genuinely grateful to him for that. Moreover, I've dedicated a considerable amount of time to finding my unique color palette, a journey that continues to this day. Throughout the process of experimenting with various color combinations, there have been numerous instances of both failure and success.

Can you discuss your biggest success since starting your artistic journey?

Studying art and graduating in London was my greatest achievement. In the past, I was timid and shy. However, living in a place with different language and culture necessitated a change in such traits to adapt and thrive. In my opinion, for a career in the arts, while the work itself is vital, effective communication with diverse individuals is equally crucial. Consequently, the transformation in my personality during my time in London has proven beneficial in my current engagement in the art world. This is why I consider it to be my most significant success.

Can you share with us the best piece of advice you you wish you had known at the start of your career?

The most memorable advice is that if you are desperate, it will come true someday. That much desperation means that I only think about that every moment to achieve that dream, so I believe that someday this dream will come true if I keep trying like that.

What projects are you working on currently? Can you discuss them?

I have primarily focused on painting faces. Recently, I started drawing parts of the body, and currently, I'm working on depicting greatly magnified skin. Explaining the reason for this change in my artistic process, I wanted more diverse interpretations to be born, delivering the work more unkindly. And sometimes we get a little closer to something to know in detail and then the shape of it becomes more unclear, so I wanted to work on visualizing that idea.

What is your dream project or piece you hope to accomplish?

My dream is very simple and always the same. I would like to have the ability to live my life just by painting.

Lastly, I like to ask everyone what advice they would give to their fellow artists, what is your advice?

I want to tell them that when a slump comes, it's something you came to grow. Because when I am in a slump, I grew up a lot in the process of overcoming it.

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