By Honorary Reporter Viktoriia Holovach from Ukraine

Photos = Yang Soon-yeal

Yang Soon-yeal is a multimedia artist who uses several genres like painting and sculpture based in Korea. She explores the possibility of overcoming crisis in this era and the spiritual connection between humans, objects and nature. In 2020, she was named Best Artist of the Year by the Korean Art Critics Association.

After hearing that she donated two sculptures to help Ukrainians through the Ukrainian Embassy in Seoul, I decided to write about her. The following are excerpts from a Nov. 10 interview.

"Rhapsody in Red" (2018)

How did you become an artist?
Brought up in nature, I have attended art universities to create works to comfort people. A recurring theme in my career is a deep poetic sympathy for existence and objects in general. I explore the overcoming of crisis in this era and the spiritual connection between humans, objects and nature.

Explain more about the themes of women, mothers, peace and art in your works. 
Most of my works depict abstract human concepts like motherly love and invisible spiritual values. So I use my sculptures like "Mother Ottogi" and "Homo Sapiens" and paintings to express these themes in concrete form. My works in these styles are classified as conceptual and abstract art.

"Mother Earth, Ottogi" (2018)

How do you find inspiration for creating art? 
I usually find it from daily life, numerous historical figures, art, music and human efforts toward truth.

What message are you trying to convey through your art?
My works emphasize unconditional pure love for every being in the world. My mode of expression is different in that I seek to conceptualize an expanded concept of motherhood and aspects of the human mind through three-dimensional and media art and paintings.

Why did you donate two sculptures to the Ukrainian Embassy in Seoul?
I donated "Mother Ottogi of Ukraine" and "Mother Ottogi of Korea" to give Ukrainians solace through a message of pure love and peace. I hope that the response to my work helps end the war in Ukraine and bring peace back. This conflict brings to mind the time of the Korean War, when Korean mothers showed their devotion and sacrifice to their children, much like how those in Ukraine are doing now. 

"Mother Ottogi of Ukraine" and "Mother Ottogi of Korea" (2022)

What went into making "Mother Ottogi?"
Its concept is pure love, peace, balance and harmony. "Mother Ottogi" embraces and nurtures all beings without prejudice and maintains peace with harmony and balance. Its round shape resembles that of a roly-poly toy that never falls; the shape and figure express my concept of indomitable motherhood.

What are you working on now?
I'm working on paintings and three-dimensional structures on themes like love and recovery of motherhood. I plan to exhibit my works in a few countries, and I especially hope to have one in Ukraine after the war ends to promote peace, healing and prosperity in the country.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.