Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ahyun Jeon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ahyun, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

When I was young, I went to kindergarten in the United States for one year and six months. At that time, I started kindergarten without even knowing the alphabet. I said hello in Korean, but I received back not Korean but an alien language. This communication breakdown came as a great fear to me. After that, all I could do was draw. When I drew, my teacher and friends greeted me with bright smiles. Although I did not understand language, communicating through visual media gave me great joy; from then on, I dreamed of becoming an artist. And as a painter, sharing emotions and empathy through my work has become one of my most important things. As time passed and I became a college student, I had the opportunity to realize again how important communication through work is. I suddenly found out that my ex-boyfriend was cheating on me, and I began to have doubts about ‘love.’ The love we encounter in novels, dramas, and movies is beautiful and fantastic. However, through my experience, I began to think about whether love is an illusion created solely to justify satisfying sexual desires. From then on, I analyzed the ambivalence about specific emotions and states. And after seeing the works painted on this theme, viewers told me about their experiences and felt a sense of emotional irony. I was able to relate to people visually again. Furthermore, I learned that expressing these emotions through painting was one of my defense mechanisms, and this has continued into my current work.

Ahyun, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

First, I am a painter based in Seoul and New York. My paintings of the human body combine abstract elements with unexpected colors to call attention to the complicated interplay of emotions in the human psyche. I have been studying art for 17 years, graduated from Fine Arts at Ewha Womans University, and am currently in the SVA MFA program.

As an emerging artist, I am still discovering what makes me unique and what aspects of my work I can be proud of. To me, painting itself brings happiness and fulfillment. However, I am looking forward to future growth and development. As someone who values balance and harmony in artistic expression, I continually strive to study and improve these elements. I have great hopes that my work will develop in the future.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want the world to know me as “an artist who seeks to communicate visually through artworks.” Sharing my story is important because I believe my experience is not unique. In today’s fast-paced world, where the Internet accelerates communication, we are constantly exposed to rapid changes and stimuli that affect human relationships. As a result, I struggle with rapidly changing emotions and sometimes experience ambiguity. I want to share these experiences, recognizing that they are not unique. And I hope this gives people comfort and an opportunity to reflect on themselves.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I struggled with negative emotions, my family and friends showed me the positive side. Moments of despair and unhappiness made me realize the potential for growth in my future life. Conversely, I also experienced that happiness and joy are fleeting and not permanent. The stories of my family and friends exposed me to different worlds, shaping my perspective on the world. Moreover, this perspective has greatly inspired me as I work on the experiences and emotions of people in society.

Based on this inspiration, I continue to work until now. Therefore, my work itself can be seen as a journey of resilience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jeonahyun0213.wixsite.com/ahyunjeon
• Instagram: art_aj_art

Image Credits
Ahyun Jeon