We recently connected with Hwichan Ko and have shared our conversation below.

Hwichan , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I first felt a strong inclination towards a creative career at 15 when I enjoyed doodling animals and spacecraft during every breaks at school. At 18, a career assessment test at high school suggested design, illustration, or art. This led me to enroll in an art portfolio school.

While preparing for art school in Korea, I initially focused on industrial design. However, I soon realized my ideas were unique compared to my peers. Teachers introduced me to Jean Michel Basquiat’s work, which resonated with me. I also discovered the art of Korean illustrator Jang Koal, which deeply inspired me. These experiences solidified my decision to pursue a career in painting and illustration.

Hwichan , 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?

Hello, I am Hwichan KO, an artist based in Jersey City and NYC, and I’ve recently earned my Master of Fine Arts degree from SVA (School of Visual Arts). I’d like to take a moment to share my journey with you.

Since I was an undergraduate in Korea, Animation, Hip-hop, and Biology have become my biggest inspirations. Especially graffiti, as a part of the hip-hop elements as an art form. It’s a cultural expression and my forever inspiration. This inspiration led to the central theme of my past works – “Rebellion,” often featuring a protagonist tackling personal challenges.

Expressing my thoughts and opinions directly to the people was challenging. Hip-hop gives me sonic inspiration through auditory sensation with the rhythmic beat and powerful lyrics. Aggressiveness in their songs and telling the rapper’s thoughts without restriction were catharsis for me. This freedom led me to express my agony and ego on canvas.

Moreover, the experience of graffiti in the crew called “TSM (The Style Machine)” during my undergraduate years helped me to use spray paint as a primary medium. This medium enabled me to maximize texture and color intensity, aligning perfectly with my ‘Rebellion’ theme. Spray painting outdoors paralleled the sense of freedom I found in hip-hop, as there were no size restrictions on the canvas, and I could showcase my art to strangers on the street.

If hip-hop music gives auditory inspiration, animation gives me a visual reference from vibrant digital colors on the screen and compelling character-driven narratives. Undoubtedly, intense and fluorescent colors in my works come from that. And when the audiences are in my space, people naturally recognize that they are in the digital world by themselves. Like animation is doing, there is narrative in my works, too. Character is at the center of the story to create out of the stories.

In my artwork, the characters often represent my alter ego, conveying desires and emotions that may be difficult to express in reality. In other words, they are vicarious satisfaction for my personality or experience. And I divided the world into two types; Ordinary world and Special world. And my work is about the special world and the source from my experience in the real world that I mentioned above.

Interestingly, in my work, all the characters can be both a hero and a villain depending on the situation, who has both positive and negative qualities. Therefore, there is no clear distinction between vice and virtue in my work. This idea also reflects our personality, that we all have a good and bad side.

In expressing thoughts and emotions, I use the exaggerated shape of my eyes. This expression comes from biology class during high school. I was so intrigued by anatomy. It was compelling to discover the human body. More specifically, eyes and eyeballs. This inspiration made me think that hidden emotion comes from the eyes. And naturally, eyes have become a symbol in my work as a representation of emotion. The eyes are a reflection of his/her emotions and thoughts. They convey agony, desires, and curiosity.

Through a unified symbol, I can expand my world with diverse themes. “Utopia” is what I am doing these days. It is following the concept of the world above. If the “Rebellion” is focused on the story in a special world, “Utopia” is trying to handle the story in reality and the special world. In “Utopia”, reality and imagination coexist together.

The story starts with the thought, “What is Utopia?”. While many believe that an idealized world like ‘Utopia’ is free from pain, my perspective challenges this notion. I propose that even in paradise, suffering may persist, and achieving freedom might require sacrifices, blurring the lines between utopia and reality.

Through the narratives I create, I aim to engage the audience, enabling them to empathize with my alter ego and experience catharsis through my paintings. Ultimately, my art offers viewers a sense of vicarious satisfaction, connecting them with my emotional journey.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building my social media presence involved a series of steps: First and foremost, attending gallery openings and social events has been crucial, as these gatherings provide opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals who share similar tastes and sensibilities.

However, my initial timid personality made approaching people a challenge, so I started by asking questions and engaging with gallery staff during quieter moments to gradually build my confidence in social situations. Inviting gallery staff to my own shows and exhibitions also proved effective, strengthening existing connections and creating opportunities for collaborations and deeper engagement.

The most effective strategy I discovered was participating in events with friends who shared my interests. They acted as intermediaries, connecting me with galleries and broader audiences, making it easier to showcase my work and engage with others. In summary, my approach to building a social media presence combines networking, personal growth, strategic collaboration, and leveraging friendships, ultimately expanding my online presence and enriching my artistic journey by connecting me with a diverse and engaged audience.

 We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

A healthy mind and body are essential for an artist to generate new ideas and create artwork. However, I have always been particularly sensitive to stress, so I had to find effective ways to manage and release it. When I find myself deeply immersed in work or facing challenging situations, I have a few preferred methods for alleviating stress.

One of my go-to methods is simply finding a quiet bench outside and taking a moment to gaze at the sky. Another approach I find rejuvenating is heading to the sea, where I can feel the wind on my face and breathe in the fresh scent of the ocean. These activities help me restore and organize my thoughts, providing the motivation and energy needed for my creative work.

I believe that everyone faces their own struggles and sources of stress, and it’s important for each individual to discover suitable ways to alleviate these pressures. These moments of respite and connection with nature have been crucial for me in maintaining resilience throughout my artistic journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: gek4.cargo.site
• Instagram: gek4a

Image Credits
Photography : Hongbin Kim