[b]racket May FREE 2014[ 무료 ]

Buy the Book eat.shop.meet.drink Saturday & Sunday:12pm-9pm only This ad can be used for 10% off all books and food items Monthly food, art and craft market Vendors and customers welcome! Dates on our Facebook page (http://tinyurl.com/daegubook)

Editor s Letter As a former Peace Corps Volunteer, I gained a lot of experience with project planning. In fact, it s given me what sometimes seems like a horrible tick, when people say anything, I am constantly asking why? When we created [b]racket magazine I thought, great, but why? Greg, Jess, and I decided it s because we wanted to spotlight great artists in Korea. Despite the fact that I am constantly questioning my own comings and goings, I sometimes forget to ask this question about the art that I spend hours looking at while laying out this magazine. If I am guilty of this (as one that is intimately exposed to art, one that labors over its presentation every month), it must also happen to the average art viewer. We often glance at work and do not spend much time trying to understand the piece. Sometimes this is warranted: much art can be self explanatory. An artist may think a painting of a rhinoceros dunking a basketball is entertaining, and therefore may paint it. The reason for this kind of work would simply be entertainment, which may lack depth but is justified because it is answering its own question of why. The artwork of others may only hint at their meaning, thus, forcing viewers to subjectively reflect about on what it s saying. The point is that both exist, both have their place and value, but that most importantly they both answer why. In this month s issue you will find an assortment of mediums status quo for [b]racket. But this time I urge you to take a longer moment while reading about and observing the artists within the pages. These artists push themselves through the work of creation with intention. Whether you are an artist or simply an art appreciator, try to consider the reasoning behind a piece. The artist most certainly did. Christopher Cote Design Editor 4 [b]racket May 2014

10 12 16 Yoon Mi Seon UZU Jang Suk Woo AP Magnotti Kim Na Kyoung *cover image Maria Vazquez Castel 20 24 28 5

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Issue 18 May 2014 [b]racket Jess Hinshaw [editor in chief] Christopher Cote [design editor] Sybille Cavasin [words editor] Lisa Highfill [digital editor] artists Kim Nam Jin ~ nklingkk@gmail.com Whit Altizer ~ wpaltizer@gmail.com Michelle Rosko ~ michsko@hotmail.com Seo Hee Joo, PhD ~ artnphil@hanmail.net Hanika Froneman ~ hanikafroneman@gmail.com contributors bracketmagazinekorea.com bracket.magazine@gmail.com facebook.com/bracketmagazine support AP Magnotti ~ apmagnotti.com Kim Na Kyoung ~ facebook.com/nakyoung.kim. artist Maria Vazquez Castel ~ mariavcastel.com Yoon Mi Seon ~ yoonmiseon.com UZU ~ behance.net/you-need-verse Jang Suk Woo (1000day) ~ behance.net/1000day writers Jacob Morris [ad design] Lee Ryoon Kyeong [advertising] Park Ga Young [translation] Ryu Eun Ji [translation] Lee Ji Young [translation] Hae Eun Lee [translation/edit] contact Design Concept Perfecti 디자인 산업 Support for [b]racket magazine is provided by Daegu Gyeongbuk Design Center Expans Concurrent Origina 색의 속성을 Flexibili 세계적 섬유 시각적 변화 Unique 7 활기차고 매 다양한 色감

Enjoy conversation in a cozy atmosphere. With our drink prices, it s always happy hour! Come join your friends for a drink... Downstairs. Located at Keimyung University s East Gate facebook.com/downstairs.kmu Directions Google Naver tel. 010-2879-7936 www.handiyoon.com 대봉점 - 대구시중구대봉동 122-13번지 2층

Jeng iy Since 1994 Live performances Local rock musicians Relaxing atmosphere Jeng Iy N Bangwoldang bus stop < namseong ro Banwoldang Station 대구중구동성로 3 가 8-8 010.8594.5011 facebook.com/jeng-iy ( 동성로쟁이 ) La Luce 대구광역시중구삼덕동 2 가 45 tel: 053-606-0733 Open 12:00-23:00 Kyunpook National University Hospital Station - Green Line [exit 1] 1 4

AP MAGNOTTI The globalized job market has rendered many of us modern nomads. For American-born illustration artist AP Magnotti, this lifestyle is reflected in his art. His sketchbook has become a carrier of artifacts, characters and landscapes that he finds too striking to leave behind. Magnotti has been an incessant doodler since childhood. Even though his university major was painting, he would invariably be lured back to sketching. The ease with which ideas can flow through ink onto paper is what draws him to this method of creating; no other medium offers the same degree of mobility. A sketchbook and pen can transform any dead amount of time (which his current vocation as a Korean public school teacher allows him enough of) into a creatively productive session. The images that find their way into Magnotti s collage-like illustrations are sourced from the artist s immediate environment as well as from surfing the web. It is the latter which distinguishes Magnotti from the likes of Warhol, making him a contemporary pop artist. In today s world it is not only mass-produced soup cans, but also internet memes like Manly Man, (top left) which occupy the senses of ordinary people. Magnotti s refined sketching technique perhaps belies his conceptual artistry. His postmodernist compositions resemble Rauschenberg in the way they are able to elevate the meaning of popular images by juxtaposing them within chaotic collages. For example, a gun becomes a dubious symbol of power when placed beside a strip of barcodes in Knight of Pentacle. An owl is also used to make yet another reference to popular culture in his piece titled Owl Milton (top right). In this case, Magnotti sources the movie Office 10 [b]racket May 2014

Space. The owl, conventionally a symbol of wisdom, is turned into a bureaucrat when we meet him from behind his office desk. Some of Magnotti s other compositions are more absurd than socio-political in their meaning. In Magician we find Tarot card images mingling with Japanese-Korean Go-Stop cards, against a backdrop of bamboo, camellias, and what must be Korean wallpaper, to convey a soju-intoxicated scene of ajeossi ( 아저씨 ) war nostalgia. Put all of that on Terry Pratchett s turtle s back and the ajeossis become members of some Ankh Morpork Guild, who like to gamble on an arbitrary image association card game inside a smoky pub. It is the story only a magician could tell. Magnotti does not only produce pieces. He has no problem also churning out commercial works. His outlook is truly contemporary in that he doesn t believe in art for art s sake, but always sees a reason or incentive behind art s production, that could just as well be a cause, a joke or a paycheck. Sometimes, good art is just some sweet hipster kitsch designed for a friend s bicycle decal business (see Bigfoot Tallbike not pictured). Afterall, he proffers, who says it s beautiful? As for Magnotti, he more than happily accepts modern day accolades such as Facebook likes and Twitter retweets as incentives to keep creating. [b] Hanika Froneman 11

KIM NA KYOUNG 20대의젊은날, 불안하고힘들지만눈부시게반짝이는그순간들을우리는 청춘 이라말한다. 활화산처럼불타오르고흩날리는꽃잎들처럼눈부시면서진한에스프레소한잔처럼쓰디쓰다. 갑자기호기심어린의문이머리속을스친다. 이렇게장황한설명을할수있는청춘을이미지로만들라고한다면사람들은어떤표현을할수있을까? 그런궁금증이생겼을때김나경작가의미로작업들을보면 아! 라는탄식흘러나오며조금이나마궁금증이풀릴지도모르겠다. 미로의중심을쳐다보고있노라면길은보이나그길의끝에무 엇이있는지모를, 두려움에쌓여있는청춘의과거현재그리고미래의자기자신을그안에서발견할수있을것이다. 청춘의한가운데에서있는김나경작가와의만남은그래서흥미롭고고민스러웠으며한편으로는기대에차있었다. 자아를찾아간다는것은아마도모든사람에게평생의숙제일터인데하물며자기자신에대한이야기를해야하는아티스트라는직업을가진사람들은작업을하는매순간순간마다자신을찾고, 또찾은자신을부정하고싸우고또다시새로운자신을찾아야하는굴레속에서살아가야한다. 20대초 반때의김나경작가또한멈춰있는자신과남이보는자신에게만집중해어떤작업도할수없었던공백기를가지고있었다. 그때쯤찾았던광주비엔날레에서그녀는한점의그림을발견했고앞에멈춰서한참을움직일수없었다고한다. 아마도어떤변화가그때부터시작되었을거라고작가는말한다. 그그림은큰캔버스에그려진 미로 그림이었고비엔날레를다녀온이후답답한자신의마음을자기만의캠퍼스에다시담을수있게되었다. 미로의중심에서서어디로가야할지몰라답답했던그날의회상은이제는그녀의대 12

표적인작업방식이되었고, 답답함에서시작했던미로그림으로같은생각을하고있거나혹은했었던사람들과소통을하게되었다. 자신만의이야기에서사람들의공감을얻으면서 미로 를단순한미로가아닌이야기가있는김나경작가만의 미로 로점점변화시키기시작했다. 그림을그리시고좋아하시던부모님의영향으로작가는너무나자연스럽게그림에스며들었다. 그림을그리는일이이토록자연스러울수없었다고그녀는되뇐다. 하지만성장을하고자신만의색을내기위선애벌레가나비가되기위한변태과 정이있는것처럼그녀에게도시간과고통이따랐다. 그런의미에서 미로 를발견한순간부터그녀의작업은점점성장했고자기만의이야기들로가득채워지게되었다. 복잡함에서시작한 미로 의이야기는세상을걷고있는혹은살아가고있는우리젊은날의자화상일것이다. 꿈이없어지고좋은직업만이살길인듯이이야기하는요즘의청춘은복잡하고힘겹다. 그러나작가는말한다. 결국걷다보면같은길인데그길이막혔을수도있고뚫려있을수도있지만출구는분명이어딘가에존재하고있다. 빠르게가는게중요한게아니라 인내심을가지고꾸준히가는게중요하다고, 그리고그길을즐기길바란다고말이다. 이이야기는지금의청춘들에게그리고청춘의중심을달리고있는작가가스스로에게하는말일것이다. 그래서인지그녀의미로에는재미있는이야기들이많이숨어있다. 그녀만의패턴들로눈이즐겁고비오는풍경과주변건물들그리고길에대한그녀만의해석들은복잡하지만흥미로움을찾을수있는그림들로표현된다. 주로밝은색들과각각의색들의강렬한대비가김나경작가의그림에쓰여지고있다. 반짝이는청춘은이렇게스스로빛 May 2014 [b]racket 13

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나고있음을그녀가본능적으로표현한게아닌가한다. 젊은작가로당당하게 2013 아시아프에선정되었고작가로서의이도약은그녀를점점꿈틀대게만들고있다. 호기심많은그녀는주위흐름에대해서도관심이아주많다. 나의이야기와너의이야기그리고세상의움직임을섬세한눈으로지켜보고그것들을자신이라는필터에걸러자기만의화폭에계속해서담을계획이다. 더나아가조형적인작업도도전할거라고반짝이는눈으로말하던모습이아직도기억에남는다. 아직은청춘의한가운데에서빠르게성장하고있는김나경작가의작업을어떤색안경을끼고보는 게아니라 청춘 이라는이두글자만을머리에넣고순수하게본다면당신은더많은자신의청춘이야기들을자신의내면에서혹은작가의그림안에서읽을수있을지도모른다. 혹시알겠는가? 김나경작가와같이당신들도청춘의그림을지금부터그려나가게될지도모르는일이니까말이다. [b] Kim Nam Jin 15

MARIA VAZQUEZ CASTEL We all have an instinctive inclination to transmit everything our senses meet into categories, into realms of previous knowledge, into our own realities. In transmission, however, the mind can lose the ability to imagine. But when the senses encounter what the mind cannot classify, imagination takes reign and the possibilities are endless. This is just what artist and photographer Maria Vazquez Castel ignites with her work to break this connection between reality and the photographic image. Castel, of both French and Mexican descent, studied Literature and Art in Paris, before focusing on photography, for which she holds a graduate degree from Louis-Lumière Graduate School. She also studied in the Visual Arts photography course for one year at Paris VIII University. She is presently an active member of the Nova Rupta collective, (novarupta.fr) a web magazine created by Castel and her friends as a way to display their photography with creative themes. Using her skills in digital and analog photography, Castel seeks to create a disconnect between the objects in her photographs and reality. She sources images from the Internet, old photographs, or movies, and reconstructs them into pieces which are remarkably different from the originals. The transformation itself is depicted 16

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in such a way that the viewer cannot know which image came first, allowing spectators to depend on their own raw intuition. It seems to me that the images are then assimilated at a deeper level, a level non-rational, non-verbal: as if this creates an effect in the fibers of the body which, although sometimes difficult to put into words, leaves no less a trace, an opening, a hint of desire..., says Castel. Not all processes are the same, however. Castel carefully composes methods of reconstruction which are appropriate for each individual piece. One work in particular titled Dolus (page 17), depicts an image of an elderly man in a tweed suit and button up shirt resting peacefully in his coffin. This image, of Castel s grandfather, was taken during the time between his death and his burial. Castel placed a printed copy of the photograph in a small pouch which she wore constantly for 40 days. All this time I kept the bag on me (I slept with it, showered with it, etc.) I only took out the image to scan it from time to time, noticing a sharp deterioration of its condition every time. The last image to be recorded over the duration of 40 days does not resemble its earlier form at all. The worn and tattered photograph now exists in several pieces; the faded image barely leaving any trace of a human being. The idea of this work is to materialize, in some way, the mourning, Castel says. Hence the title Dolus, the Latin word for mourn....we think of the missing person regularly. This thought stays with us, even if it is often put aside. Anyone can look at a series of images and often see a pattern, see a change. When viewing Castel s work, looking at the last image first can lead one to draw conclusions from their own imagination. To me, both approaches are incredibly interesting and compelling in their own way. A series of narratives exist in single bodies of work. When the mind cannot rely on interpretations based on context, time frames or personal connection, imagination can thrive. As Einstein once said, Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand. By breaking the comfort of surety and clarity, Castel s art frees the imagination of each spectator, allowing them to surmise all of the countless possibilities. [b] Michelle Rosko 19

YOON MI SEON 캔버스위의강렬한얼굴들이우리의시선을사로잡는다. 그얼굴들은일그러져있기도하고우수에찬눈동자로말을걸기도하고고뇌에차있기도하며미묘한감정들과간절함이교차하기도한다. 윤미선작가의작품들을마주하게되면작품속인물의강렬함으로인해우리는작품안으로미끄러지듯들어가게된다. 그것은작품속인물이나에게로스며들면서내자신도작품의인물로스며들어가고있다는느낌을가지게한다. 우리는작품의감상자가아니라그녀의작품속에등장하는얼굴의주인공이된다. 그이유는우리가그녀의작품에서우리자신의감정이나표정과마주하게되기때문이다. 다시말하자면, 우리자신을발견하게된다는것이다. 윤미선의작품에서감상자와작품사이의이러한교감과미묘한감정의흔들림은그녀가주변사람들의얼굴표정에서자신의모습을발견하고그들의표정으로부터자신을찾아가는하나의여정을작 업으로하고있기때문이다. 어린시절, 그녀는가족과주변사람들의표정에서알수없는불안과두려움을보았고그러한기억은오랫동안그녀의기억한구석에자리잡고있었다. 그리고어른이된그녀는불안, 두려움이라는것이동시대인의삶의한부분으로자리잡고있음을발견하고그러한모습들을작품에담게되었다. 동시대적삶이라는것은불안의연속이고이불안의요인들은두려움을가져온다. 고용과생계의불안, 전쟁, 테러, 이해관계에따른갈등과반목, 환경문제등동시대적상황에우리는내던져져있다. 그리고그불안과두려움은우리의얼굴에숨어있다가불쑥불쑥그표정들이드러난다. 이렇듯우리에게내재되어있는삶의표정을다양한색감으로강렬하게표현하고있는것이다. 그녀의작품에서우리의시선을사로잡는것은비단강렬한이미지만은아니다. 미적인감흥을불러일으키는대담한색의배치와조화는캔버스위의오일페인팅이아니라직물이라는매체이다. 그러므로유화나아크릴물감등으로그림을그린것이아니라캔버스위에직물을붙여완성된작품으로일반적인미술용어로바꾸어말하면오브제를이용한콜라주기법인것이다. 캔버스에직물을붙여작업을하는작가들이있지만윤미선은다른작가에비해직물이라는섬유의특성을잘이해하고적절히활용하고있다는점에서차별화된작업을보여준다. 그녀가직물이라는재료를활용하여이런강렬한표현을할수있었던것은섬유미술을전공했기때문이다. 물론섬유미술전공자가아니더라도직물이가지고있는특성과그특성에따른장단점을충분히이해하고활용할수있을것이다. 그러나그녀는자신의전공과부합되는작업과정을통해서작품을완성해나간다. 다시말하자면적절한직물을선택한다음재단하고재단한천을재봉틀로박고다림질을하고캔버스에붙이는일련의과정이섬유에대한지식과회화적감각이만나서표현주의적감성이묻어나는이미지가된다. 그녀에게직물은일종의 물감이자원료이며자유로운감정을실을수있는 훌륭한재료인것이다. 그녀가밝히고있듯이직물이가지고있는질감적특성들과색은얼 20

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굴이가지고있는다양한표정이나인간의내면적감정을표현하기에훌륭한재료임에는분명하다. 그녀는이러한직물이가지고있는물성을이용하여천을잘라수많은조각을만들고그것을다시바느질로연결하고배치하면서인간의다양한감정등이작품제작과정과함께증폭된다. 그녀는복잡하면서도반복적인긴제작과정동안자신의오래된기억들, 동시대적삶의초상, 우리내면에있는감정들에집중한다. 그리고그것을충실히드러내기위해부단히노력한다. 이것은동시대인으로서그녀가가지고있는불안과두려움에대한무의식적행위이기도하다. 이러한일련의내적과정은제작과정과만난다. 다양한색의대조와면의분할을통해서초래되는불균형에서균형을찾아가고부조화 에서조화를찾아가는제작과정은작품을제작하는동안그녀의내적과정과만나우리의초상이되는것이다. 그녀는자신의작품을 타인의거죽을빌린내자화상의관한기록 이라는강한어구로말하지만그녀의자화상은곧우리의초상이라할수있다. 그녀는삶속에서겪어왔던수많은감정과느낌들이사람들의표정이나몸짓을통해발화됨을지각했고그러한관찰을통해서동시대인들의삶에대한초상을작품으로나타낸것이다. 그렇지만다른한편으로그녀의작품에서보여지는시각적이미지와주제는야수파 (Fauvism) 의강렬한선과색을떠올리게하거나코코슈카 (Oskar Kokoschka) 가그린인물들이나인간의불안과공포를극적으로표현하고있는뭉크 (Edvard Munch) 를떠올리게한다. 우리는미술사에서그녀와유 사한이미지와주제를쉽게찾아볼수있을것이다. 또한동시대적삶의모습을다양한미술언어로표현하고있는우리시대의작가들을만날수있다. 그럼에도불구하고윤미선의작품세계가가지고있는의미는인물화에대한일반적인표현방식을벗어나직물이가지고있는질감적특성과조각내기와연결의용이함통해입체감있고살아있는얼굴을표현하는데있다. 이것은바로그녀가새로운예술의언어를쓰고있다는것을의미한다. 그녀의작업은여전히현재진행형이고그녀가새로운예술언어로우리의눈을사로잡았듯이그녀는또다시새로운언어로우리와마주할것이다. [b] Seo Hee Joo, PhD 23

UZU To UZU, what others call reality is something that he refuses to acknowledge as hard truth. He is surprised by our society s acceptance of mechanics and complex systems that we so often use and blindly trust. Tools that most take for granted, like the Internet or a Boeing 747, baffle the artist. The world is too complicated, complex, he says. I can t completely understand it. Even the processes of something as unexciting as how his milk ends up at his doorstep each morning can ignite a question in UZU s mind. Such questions lead to an expression filtered through his imagination one laden with science fiction imagery and a mad scientist mentality. UZU s works are as numerous as they are varied. The artist uses humble techniques (drawing) and simple materials (markers, pens and paper) to create what he interprets as the inner workings of things. There is seemingly no subject matter that can t be tackled by the artist. His portfolio consists of figure drawing, schematics, instructions for growing legs, silhouettes covered in lace, coke bottles imagined in traditional Korean ceramics the list goes on. Though there is certainly enough material to fill an entire issue of [b]racket, we decided to focus on his body of work titled Material ME. Whether UZU intentionally references him or not, the artist/visionary Fritz Kahn comes to mind when interacting with Material ME. Both Kahn and UZU have an affinity for explaining the basics of anatomy in a vernacular that is simultaneously sensical and absurd. The pieces in Material ME look like fantastical medical illustrations sometimes of bodies, and other times of inanimate objects that are given life through his artistic dissection. Brains are built with bulbs and sockets, eyes are constructed with tubes and computer parts, and skulls are fabricated with various engine 24

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blocks and 48 pin connectors. The words reality and fiction are used interchangeably by UZU to describe his work. He believes the subject matter of his illustrations is just another reality that others might not have considered yet. The doubt that he feels about what is real gives life to his work. It also gives him the confidence to present his pieces as if they were medical illustrations in a textbook. UZU opens up our own imaginations by taking what some might have as a fleeting thought I wonder how an artificial heart works, or how is this plane actually staying in the sky? and allowing his mind to run with possibilities informed by only the same basic knowledge of a concept that most of us have. What he creates is strikingly sharp with detail, while still being just as confusing as his own thoughts. Sure, if we put in the time to understand it, something like the human auditory system would probably begin to make sense to us laymen but isn t it worth it just to allow ourselves to wonder, if it leads to such a perfectly perplexing and beautiful interpretation? [b] Lisa Highfill May 2014 [b]racket 27

JANG SUK WOO The clean, colorful, and calculated work of Jang Suk Woo, or as he introduced himself to us 1000day, attempts to deal with that which has already happened and that which will happen. His pieces echo aesthetics of both the world of big budget animation and the superhero realm without really talking about either of them. His work is instantly accessible, but would never be dismissed as one-dimensional. These pieces have depth to them, and deserve more than just a passing glance. One case in point is Jepeto s Studio, (not pictured). When you really absorb what is going on in 1000day s oceanic piece you might think that the artist had it in for Pinocchio. The puppet-turned-boy s hat is gouged by a sharp tree trunk, one of his hands lies forgotten on the floor, tools are scattered and the studio looks as if time has devoured it. There is no life here anymore, nothing is being created and it seems that no one is coming home. The original story of Pinocchio is dark and sad, 1000day explained, so I wanted to express the original dark image. Admittedly, 1000day s work often uses the struggle between life and death as a theme. I think that birth coexists with destruction, he said. In his work, there are often flashes of life in the throes of chaos. A stream of water swirls around his subjects as if they are caught in a whirlpool that will soon swallow them up ( Birth ). Sometimes the subjects are part of the chaos, sometimes they are completely unaware of it and sometimes, as in the case of Pinocchio, they are long gone. 1000day s work is a reminder that within all the chaos of our days there continues to be birth, life and death. Not one of these could exist without the other. Though his illustrations sometimes can feel quite heavy with darkness, 1000day is an optimist. I draw for me, 1000day said, and for other people s enjoyment. With his Wacom tablet acting as a translator, the artist also creates more innocent and hopeful images. In Yon Jee Lee (above left), two trees stretch toward each other and embrace, their trunks old and withered but their foliage radiant and reborn. In another ( Breeze ), (not pictured) a beautiful woman s face is framed by an arrangement of flowers, branches, and vines. She locks eyes with the viewer and smiles, with a flicker of hope in her eye. Optimistic pieces like this one serve to reassure us that there can never be enough darkness to cover 28 [b]racket May 2014

the light in life. Even in the face of chaos there can be glimmers of hope and gestures of love. Nothing brings 1000day more satisfaction than making art. Many people do not know their dreams, he said, but I have found my dream. I am happy. Work is my everything, 1000day said, I can t imagine not drawing. As life continues on, we re excited to see what 1000day brings to the light of day. [b] Whit Altizer 29

국내최대화방이대구에있습니다! 명덕역 4 번출구에서남문시장방향 50M Take exit 4 at Myeongdeok station (Red Line). Walk straight for less than a minute and you will see us on your left! 주소 : 대구광역시시중구남산동 781 번지전화 : 053)254-3600