Painter Park Jinwha, a native of Incheon, South Korea, was born and raised in the city. During her youth, she pursued a design major at Ewha Womans University, a prestigious institution in Korea, and worked as a designer. However, it was only recently that she embarked on a career as a painter. Following her marriage, she dedicated herself to being a full-time housewife while raising her two children. Like in any country, fulfilling the roles of wife and mother proved to be exhausting, and she experienced the same challenges.
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| ▲ Odyssey 114. 72.5x153Cm Mixed Media.2022 |
One day, everything changed when she encountered a painting by Cheon Kyeong-ja, a renowned Korean female artist, displayed at the Seoul Museum of Art. This artwork ignited a long-forgotten artistic spark within her. "The painting left a profound impression on me," she said. "In that moment, I felt an overwhelming desire to paint." This encounter served as a turning point, and she soon found herself immersed in drawing every day. In 2013, she unexpectedly won first prize at the 'Incheon Art Exhibition,' which fueled her inspiration. Encouraged by this achievement, she held her first solo exhibition in 2017, proudly presenting her work to the public. Additionally, she pursued further art studies by enrolling in graduate school.
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| ▲ Odyssey Layer. 77x54Cm Mixed Media.2022 |
Reflecting on her journey, she expressed, "I started working as an artist later in life. It wasn't because I didn't paint before, but due to circumstances, I couldn't pursue it. It feels like time wasted." She added, "While many artists create to comfort their audience, my art has been a source of comfort for me. Painting has been a profound solace that saved me."
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| ▲ Painter, Park Jinwha |
Observing the audience's engagement with her paintings during exhibitions energized her greatly. She expressed her desire to continue wielding the brush until she could acknowledge her own accomplishments or until the end of her days.
The world depicted in her artwork holds several philosophical meanings. The Korean society, she grew up in was plagued by inequality and imbalance. Institutional norms often coerced individuals, leaving them unable to resist. This societal context created discomfort and stifled the accumulation of emotions within people. Perhaps for this reason, her paintings carry elements that challenge the contradictions prevalent in Korean society.
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| ▲ Painter, Park Jinwha |
In particular, she focuses on the horizontal relationships portrayed in her work. She views life as an ongoing series of relationships. However, she believes that her systematic approach holds greater importance than the fundamental meaning of her existence. Thus, her artwork emphasizes the horizontal relationships between humans and non-humans, dismantling the hierarchical order that currently prioritizes humanism.
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| ▲ Strata of the Anthropocene. 40x117Cm Mixed Media.2023 |
She rejects the notion that humans alone should be given precedence. "I hope that in a million years or so, when the next species inhabit Earth, they will explore the layers of the Earth, we once lived in and think, 'It was such a beautiful world,'" she remarked.
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