Belle Fusion Art Facilitation Group

OPTICAL OBSESSION

Vancouver rising artist: A true Ambidextrous Painter

I visited Jace's studio and asked him about his "Apologies" series. I was intrigued about how he wants to "apologize",

"When I'm painting with the palette knifes it's like i'm torturing the canvas... " Jace said.

It is an unusual perspective; however, I understood the contradicting emotion because he is giving a "life" to the canvas but he has to press the bold colors and shapes on it in order to create the intensive and impasto texture of it.

Some may view his work quite dark. I have a different point of view. It's like a newborn - crying and uneasy, yet a beautiful gift from God.

Jace Junggyu Kim is a rare Vancouver ambidextrous artist able to use the right and left hands equally well. He was born and raised in Korea where he was highly influenced by comic book art until his age of 15. He graduated Emily Carr University of Art and Design with a bachelor’s degree in Media art (animation). His career started off as an animator but the digital medium was not suitable enough for him to abandon his passion for traditional painting. Creating the most of the tension between the figurative and the abstract, his painting on canvas arises from the meeting and combination of various artistic materials; oil, acrylic, ink, spray paint and so on. An abstract chaos capable of giving rise to an emotional overlap plays as a background to the purity and refinement of the facial expression depicted with obsessively repetitive brush strokes.

1. When did you realize that being an artist was going to be your path?

I started my career as an animator and thought being an artist is an extremely challenging and unrealistic path to take for me since I never had any professional training. Having no painting background, it helped me thinking outside of box and constraints. I came to realize that art is something that everyone can possibly engage to regardless of your degree or certificates. I am not still sure that I am an artist. I think I am more of a painter.

2. What inspires you or stimulate your thought?

'Subconscious' is what stimulates me the most when it comes to my art making process. My work is considered as a layer between the conscious and the subconscious.

3. What is your average day like?

I have a studio teaching high school students mostly going for art schools in North America. I also have a freelancing job as a digital painter so I usually spend the half of my day working and start painting my own really late when nobody distracts me from concentrating.

Collected by Belle Fusion Art Facilitation Group

4. Why do you think it’s integral to work as an artist?

The only reason of being an artist is doing what you love and passionate to do. Monetary value is still needed but it is more important that you strive for the better and more fun. Life is short and you should live the fullest without regrets.

5. What kinds of story do you like the most? Why?

I like to hear the stories of people overcoming the obstacles because it reflects significantly to the way I live my life and as an artist, it is essential continuously inspiring yourself in any possible way.

6. How has your practice changed over time?

It was tediously random and spontaneous how I started to paint seriously. I think the amount of commitment has been increased over the past couple of years because I became really willing to create a 'GOOD' piece of art.

7. Who’s your favourite Artist? How does this Artist inspire or mentor you?

My favourite artist is Mark Rothko among many other artists. He cares about the basic human emotions and how they are integrated in your work in terms of engaging with the viewer and creating extra ordinary emotional attachments. His work is pure abstract so it does not stylistically fit but the life style of anti-consumerism and his perspective towards art are very similar to mine.

8. There are many emerging artists looking for the kind of direction and passion that you, as a successful artist, clearly have. What kind of advice would you give to those who are looking for their direction and path?

I still don't think I am a successful artist but what I can say now is that I am a happy artist who can enjoy my life by doing art. I think the most important thing is that you keep motivating yourself by doing what you love to do and solitarily create the direction you wish to pursue other than being too followed by someone else's suggestion. What your heart impulses you to do is the most important thing.

9. In your opinion, what role is Artist playing nowadays??

Artists need to transform the culture more engaging to people. We are the bridge to connect the gap between the culture and the life. in addition to what I said in previous questions, it is really important that you need to be emotionally attached to the society and things around you.

10. What is your 5 year goal?

I don't usually live my life with goals but I constantly dream. I wish I can continue dreaming those intangible possibilities and become really happy about being an happy artist.

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