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

Jiwon, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I received my two BFA degrees in South Korea, in Visual Communication Design and Painting. During my first degree in design, I was eager to express my own story rather than fulfill clients’ requests. After graduating from the first school, I transferred to my second school to explore and experience what Fine Arts truly is. Surprisingly, it offered me a great deal of spiritual freedom and fulfillment, convincing me that this is what I want to pursue throughout my life. Since then, I have been making art and presenting it to people through exhibitions in the US. I am proud to be an artist because it affirms that I am the one leading my life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hi, my name is Jiwon Rhie, a multidisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn. I am originally from South Korea and moved to New York in 2017 to pursue my graduate degree. Since receiving my MFA in 2019, I have lived in New York and continued my art practice. As an artist, I engage with diverse subject matters such as sculpture, installation, and video. I do not have a primary medium for creating art; instead, I consider every material around me as a potential medium for my practice. This approach stems from my belief that the concept and narrative of my work are of utmost importance. Merging my life experiences with the language of art is the key motivation behind my practice, and I strive for this process to lead me to create artworks that evoke certain psychological ideas or emotions in viewers. In this process, anything can become art as long as it successfully conveys my thoughts. The materials I commonly use these days include wood, plastic, fabric, and mirrors.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I would like to share my journey of becoming a multidisciplinary artist from a painter. Before my graduate program, when I was in Korea, I primarily created two-dimensional artworks, including paintings and drawings. In particular, I was dedicated to the “Florilegia Series” (an imaginary flower series), which I passionately pursued for four years from 2014 to 2017. This flower series was instrumental in my acceptance into an MFA program, and I had no doubt that I would continue it after moving to New York for my studies. However, my time in New York, which presented an entirely different environment, transformed my perspective and narrative in art. In Korea, my fascination with flowers—stemming from their endless diversity of appearance—served as a metaphor to express human diversity. But in the US, exposed to new experiences and environments, I found myself unable to continue the flower series. I yearned to express something new that reflected my current self and was eager to explore new art forms that could encapsulate my lived experiences. Yet, transitioning to new art materials proved challenging. With only one year left before graduation, a time when most students begin preparing their thesis show with a strong body of work developed over many years, I faced a dilemma. Moreover, I lacked knowledge about the new medium I wanted to explore. I had to choose between the comfortable route to finish my MFA degree and starting everything from scratch. Ultimately, I chose to take a risk by creating a new body of works from scratch. For me, the most important aspect of being an artist is to create honest works, and this was more important than achieving greater success as an artist. I also didn’t want to have any regrets. Thankfully, I was able to successfully hold my thesis show with my new artworks and have continued multidisciplinary projects ever since. Changing my direction in life was painful, but now I believe it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

The only difference between creatives and non-creatives is the road not taken. Creativity doesn’t just mean art. We all are creative, in the sense that we all live our individual journeys. Sometimes, I wonder who is more so: me, living as an artist, consistently feeling the need to prove myself, or those who don’t and can more naturally be creative in their daily life.

However, this constant need to prove myself isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it pushes me to explore new boundaries and to see the world through different lenses. It’s a journey that’s challenging and rewarding, allowing me to connect with my inner self and the world around me in unique ways.

Those who might not identify as ‘creatives’ in the traditional sense have the freedom to express their creativity without the artistic weight. They can innovate in their daily tasks, solve problems, and bring creativity to their personal and professional lives in many forms.

I do my best to convey a message through my art and accept that others may not see it, but that’s ok, everyone’s experience and creative journey is uniquely theirs.

Contact Info:

• Website: rhiejiwon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jiwon_rhie/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhie-jiwon-8a6813149/

Image Credits
Jiwon Rhie