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[Kiaf SEOUL] Artist Jeong Byeonghyeon Gallery PALZO /  No Longer Myself

Q. This is the gallery PALZO's booth in Kiaf. I'm in front of artist Jeong Byeonghyeon's work right now. I would like to hear from Artist Jeon about his work. hello. Please simply say hello.
-Hello, I'm Jeong Byeonghyeon. nice to meet you

Q. Did you submit the work on the back and the two on the side?
Please give a brief introduction about your work.

-Formally, I work with three combinations of Korean paper, pigment alyo, and tattoo needles. In terms of content, I reflect in my work an inner optical illusion that can re-recognize experiences that humans have forgotten.
My work serves as a light touch through the experience of optical illusions when it comes to human oblivion. As a result, all decisions are left to the audience.

Q.Your work is very unique.
Please explain how you work

-I color first. After that, it completely covers the white again. At the very end, I color it with the color I want.
After all the coloring is done, I use a thin tattoo needle to draw out the layout I want and tear it off.

Q.Is this what I see you working with tattoo needles? Did you work without drawing this line beforehand? Wow! almost you are a master.

-I've done hyperrealistic work in the past.

Q.Your work is really detailed.
How long does it take you to finish a piece of work?
-Working 6 hours a day, it usually takes a month.

Q.If you work 3-4 hours a day, it will take about two months.
-arithmetically, yes

Q.This color, called pigment, is a bit like green, right?
-I combine it with various colors as a pigment color.
I can make any color I want to be monotone at any time, and I can change it in various ways.

Q.Make it easier to explain pigments for viewers, Please.
-Pigments are the raw material of all painting materials. I use this pigment and combine it with several colors to create a variety of colors.

Q.What does the net mark or line mean in the work?
-The role of the line is to lightly touch on things that we forget and do not recognize. It is the most basic and has great meaning.

Q. I try to slightly touch the unrecognized parts through the composition of the three most basic dots, lines, and planes.
-Do you mean that a dot is made with a tattoo needle, and several of these dots are connected to form a line, and the line becomes a recognizable shape?

Q.Awesome. Did you understand correctly?
We will explain the work in a little more detail as we shoot.
The biggest art fair in Korean history is being held, how do you feel?

-Personally, I think that this art fair will be an opportunity for me to change.
I think everything will change whether it is the art market, the perception of art, the level of stakeholders, or the level of the artist. I think it is a time of great change.

Q.Do you think positively?
-Yes I do

Thank you
From now on, I hope that you will become an artist loved by many people.
Thanks for the interview 

‘No Longer Myself’
My true freedom does not mean physical freedom from pain that is caused by actions against the restrictions of other persons in the general living environment. It implies outputs which result from horizontal correlations accompanied by resistance and angry arising from habitual self-restrictions, as well as from inner conflicts between the observer(self) and object(image).
Methods for achieving the consequent freedom can be found only within myself, and hence exhaustive self-exploitation must be inevitably required based on these actions. Freedom resulting from self-exploitation provides greater intrinsic freedom than physical freedom that comes from environment or other people because the exploiter is just the exploited party.
While the condensed conflict between the observer and object in my works is naturally accepted in the intact condition, I voluntarily become the object of an image and try to resolve the conflict through the artistic method of works. The conflict is expressed in a formative manner by adding regular and irregular patterns to images, to prove human imperfection, and it aims to accept the conflict arising from imperfection, rather than longing for perfect life.
After continuously repeating to spray, paint and add pigments on Hanji, traditional Korean paper and then to pick and remove them using a tattoo needle, the self-exploitation is maximized by extreme patience. Namely, the labor exploitation expressed externally by expelling me to the extreme end is the freest method for expressing resistance and anger using works. Exhaustive self-exploitation makes it possible for myself to gradually ceases to exist in the process of working so that simultaneously my artistic works can be created. It means that I can meet true freedom only when being free from myself. 

- 2019, Jeong Byeonghyeon