Yeonsu Ju lives among the spirits. As she herself explains: « I take inspiration from 'Gijesa', a spiritual ritual practiced in Korea as a way for Koreans to mourn for the deceased. It is a Confucian memorial rite held to honour the ancestors at the earliest hour on the anniversary of their death with food offerings prepared the day before.»
By representing herself as the host of these imaginary dinners, Yeonsu Ju does much more than simply honor her loved ones: she creates a portrait of them through her own image, projecting their existences and energies onto her own face.
Yet Yeonsu Ju's relationship with these departed beings remains conflicted. In the course of the dinner, she keeps interrupting the meal through unconventional means, making it impossible for her characters to leave. In this way, she turns each scene into a ritual that never ends, like an emotional and material spiral. Yeonsu Ju's spiraling energy is reminiscent of Bacon's painting and the movements by which the artist blends his subjects into the background.
Hard question, as we experience lots of artsy encounters in daily life. One impressive event that woke me up as “I want to be an artist” would be ‘All Too Human’ exhibition at Tate Britain in 2018. I saw Bacon’s painting for the first time in person and got overwhelmed in a inspiring way.
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I studied Sociology before Painting. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact influence but introduction of cultural studies, the Frankfurt School, Jacques Lacan, and Jacques Derrida built a basic structure of how I perceive painting, which deepened my understanding of painting. I am academically curious person, and also ‘emotion matters the most’ person too. So, I am thankful that I studied Sociology to balance out. I wouldn’t be able to come up with what I have now if the source of ideas from great thinkers wasn’t ample.
I started oil painting in 2017, during I was participating exchange student in Sociology in Milan. At first, my motivation was instant and constant love bombing from painting as media.
I was practicing painting since 2017 but the time I personally started to call myself as an artist was after having my first crits at Slade, 2021 – it is embarrassing to say, but I cried even before the start of crits. I felt I haven’t been honest about what is on the canvas. It’s not that I haven’t been sincere on process of painting. It was more like a matter of subject. After realising this and breaking the hardshell of shames around my desires, I finally get to feel untied and became an artist – in other words, I am showered with blessing of discovery of beautiful and unknown universe carrying my desires through dots, planes, lines and colours. As coincidental as the realisation, I don’t think I can or cannot decide to become an artist. I became artist as I am appointed by my lover, painting. Painting drives me and I let them drive me, it is similar you fall in love. You cannot force the feeling and you cannot deny the feeling. Once you knew, you cannot go back. Just delve into.
Francis Bacon will be forever my hero. Abstract Expressionism, Kenneth MacMillan’s Ballet --- I’m thinking of introducing more gestures and emphasising the process of painting - The act of painting, the physicality.
Q. Have you ever reached a plateau in your production and how do you overcome the obstacles?Did you experience difficulties in establishing your style? Have you ever experienced any major change in your artistic production?
Of course, it comes off frustration to me. I usually rub or wash off with turps and try to see it differently – direction, speed, pressure etc.
I think I’m pretty past that stage. If you are brutally yourself, then it is distinctive, as it should be. It has been ups and downs, I’m trying not to stay too safe or comfort. My current paintings are coming from many cultural resources, like the studies I mentioned above, field trips, my Asian heritage and ongoing readings. I’m currently reading ‘The Logic of Sensation’ by Gilles Deleuze, a book devoted to Francis Bacon and Bergson’s ‘Mind- Energy’.
I have experienced 2 major changes in my work. One is when I started to speak painting as its own language not as a medium to deliver some narrative in 2021. This change happened because I fortunately found its unique way to reach out that words cannot reach. In this case, words are redundant or even disturbing. The other is when I started to see painting as my lover in 2024, it hits me more personally and intensively. There’s no reason for this change, or more like she(painting) decided to come more closely, it just happened.
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Q. Please talk about your art-making routine. How many hours do you usually spend in the studio? Do you have any little habits in the studio?
I usually spend 3-5hours a day in the studio. When I go there, I right dive into painting. I don’t do research or reading at the studio. Studio is my sacred temple to call my lover. I always bring drinks like hibiscus or coffee and lots of water. Put my belongings down and go out to smoke. Then start dancing and painting. I dance when I paint, I see this as a process of calling.
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Q. What is your main medium of creation?Do you have any preferred materials or textures?
Painting. I love its instant judgment. You see, feel something or walk away. You get captivated or leave. You see the flat deep 2-dimensional whole at once unlike sculpture and film. Your stay merely decided on your pace. It doesn’t need mediation from text/narrative/situation, speaking its own language.
Oil colours. I love its richness and viscosity.
Q. Are there any metaphors in your work? Where do they come from? What do you want to express?
Q. How do you start and end your creations? And how do you determine whether a piece of work is finished?
I start with figural forms, and when figure(actor), ground(table) and gesture(act) are composed and independently speak, it is done.
Very private. As I see them as my lover, and from characteristics of love, they are omnipotent. They show complex sides of love, sometimes they are like a cruel god, sometimes they made me feel helpless, enchanted, delightful, amazed and so on.
They are sirens, if they succeed to stop you and listen to their song, you are seized.
Q. What’s your motivation that drives you to create?
Love, love towards painting, my lover.
Q. What is the everlasting theme of your creations? What have you been pursuing in your artistic creations?
Calling. I think it is instinct of human to find something validate their existence.
Q. What is the biggest challenge you’re experiencing through your current creations? Are there any concerns that need to be solved?
The biggest difficulty I’m facing at the moment is the high intensity of the feelings from painting. It is quite overwhelming, and I’ve been feeling exhausted for a long time. I am trying to be distant to love better.
Q. Do you have any upcoming exhibitions or project plans?
I’m discussing some options.
Q. How do you expect you and your works to be evaluated and remembered by people many years from now?
