Ju Yun: Hybrid Identity

Korean American artist Ju Yun exists between two worlds, a reality shared by many who leave one country to settle in another. Along with her change in location came a crucial change in Yun’s creativity. Shifting from traditional Korean artwork to the vocabulary of contemporary art was an important part of her growth as an artist and as an immigrant settling into a new culture. Her vibrant mixed media pieces take inspiration from the popular culture found in both Korea and the United States. Visual references found in her work include cartoons, fashion, film, and music. These splashes of surprising and non-traditional materials reference contemporary American pop culture alongside emblems of ornamentation and Korean history.

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“I was born and raised in South Korea before immigrating to the United States of America. I am constantly reminded of how it feels to be between two polarizing worlds. (…) My idiosyncratic approach towards western formalism is entirely modern in tone. I consider traditional Korean culture with a sense of humor, coupled with a philosophical sensibility.

Moving to another country and having to take on and adapt to a different culture and lifestyle impacts a person’s identity. I explore various aspects of hybrid identity, which I am investigating through my mask projects which layer compositions of polymer clay and found objects to make art and change something that already has an identity into something new.”