J E N N Y C H O I N - B E T W E E N

J E N N Y C H O I N - B E T W E E N

J E N N Y C H O I N - B E T W E E N

Contents Jenny Cho 2009 Design by Jenny Cho Translation by Jenny Cho, Alec Turnbull Text by Jean Kim, Jongho Kim This book is a limited edition of 20 Copies by Jenny Cho Introduction Visible and Invisible In-between Eyes and Mind Artist s Note Photo Reliefs and Paintings Early Works In-Between List of Works Selected Source Material Biography

Introduction The concept of In Between is central to Jenny Cho s exhibition as she explores realms of the visible and the invisible. Cho, who is influenced by pioneers from various art historical movements who have focused on perspective, attempts to take their study of the complexity of human visual perception and perspectives one step further -- by bridging what is actually seen with our eyes and what exists in our mind. She begins this process with the modern tool of the camera, which acts as her eye in capturing, from various angles, her subject matter that exists in three dimensions. These shifts in perspective are essential to Cho s works, as she relies on her intuition to optimize the visual experience of her artistic narration. Using photo cut-outs of these settings and floating them on various planes with wire, Jenny Cho constructs sculptural photo-relief sketches which serve in guiding her as she paints them back onto a two-dimensional surface, which represents the mind. It is the intangible world, represented by her photo-reliefs and existing between dimensions, that most fascinates Cho. When viewing her paintings, one soon realizes that what initially appears to be a mere representation of an ordinary setting is transformed into a warped reality a skewed play between actuality and abstraction. This ambiguity of space and time creates a heightened tension in Cho s staged settings, further exaggerated with the use of dramatic lighting and diagonal lines that fragment her spaces. Like David Hockney s joiners series, Cho s disjointed spaces are complex labyrinths which are extended, reflected and divided with the repeated motifs of curtains, mirrors and windows. Cho s multi-perspective view is a reflection of chaos within harmony and symbolizes the complex intermingling of what our eyes actually see and what our minds perceive. In so doing, Cho successfully captures a personal space that is based on her own perspectives and creates a dimension that is uniquely hers. Jean Kim, Director of Gana Gallery New York

Visible and Invisible In-between Eyes and Mind Jenny Cho s series In-Between deals with the state between two points: eye and mind. In her works, she explores the process of visual perception through the conjoining of both. According to a theory of cognitive psychology, the human brain perceives the same object differently depending on one s experience. In her work, Cho confronts the divide between subjectivity and objectivity by collapsing images of things into montages of personal experience and memory. Cho follows a careful process with her art, first taking photographs of an object from numerous angles and perspectives and then recomposing them into a single work of photo-relief Jenny Cho constructs her photo-reliefs with a three dimensional artistic plan supported by engineering wires, defying the traditional method of displaying photographs in a linear row. Her work mirrors the progressing steps of the visual perception, in which the image of an object itself becomes conjoined with the viewer s experience and memory. By representing not merely the visual aspects of an object, but the perception of an object, Cho s paintings based on photo-reliefs reveal the artist s integrated vision of visible and invisible. The element of time inevitably intervenes in accordance with this process. Past memory and experience reawaken and take place in present as the process of Cho s work progresses. Though based on photo-reliefs, Cho s paintings are extensions of her process of arrangement, including certain images not there before and excluding others clearly evident in the photographs. In case of Double Portrait, the clock in the dining room is erased intentionally because the work itself contains the element of time. In this respect, Cho s works resonate with the works of Cézanne, Picasso and David Hockney; however, in contrast to those artists who use idealized perspective to replicate reality, Cho applies the perspective as plastic elements like point, line, color in paintings. All existence first confronts the senses without meaning; we can only understand the essence of existence through our post-perceptual questions. Artwork reveals its inner secret according to its degree of expression and approach to subjectivity through objectivity. Cho s current work and future development will expand the boundary of contemporary photography and painting, and hopefully, of meaning. Jongho Kim, Doosan Gallery Director In Double Portrait (2008), Cho s perspectives - not as one of the family members, but as an outsider - are recomposed into a photo-relief examining the essence of family. Cho arranges images of the living room and dining room at different depths and juxtaposes photos of her parents from both day and night as if they all co-exist in a single plane of spacetime, alluding the unchangeable value of family in the face the passage of time. The painting based on this photo-relief reveals home as a valued space in harmony and happiness as well as a perceptual space embedded with discord and conflict.

눈과마음, 보이는것과보이지않는것 In-between 은 두지점의사이 (in between two points) 를의미하는말로서제니조의작업에서는시각과지각의사이를연결하여대상을파악하는시지각의본질을뜻한다. 인지심리학의연구에의하면인간의두뇌는같은사물을보더라도각개인의경험에따라전혀다르게대상을인식한다고한다. 이것에착안하여대상을바라보는시각자체를개인의경험과기억의대상으로환원시키는과정을보여줌으로써주관과객관의대립을극복하고자하는것이바로제니조작업의핵심이라할수있다. 그녀의작업을보면회화를그리기전에정면과측면, 더나아가거울에반사된이미지까지다양한각도와시점으로대상을촬영하고이것을인화한후필요한이미지를커팅하여평면상에재배치 (re-composition) 하는과정을거치는데이것을 사진부조 (Photo Relief) 라부른다. 사진부조는선택된이미지들을단순히평면상에나열하는것이아니라작가의주관적의도에따라엔지니어링와이어를이용하여높낮이혹은그위치가다르게구성되기때문에이과정에서객관적사물로서의대상이개인의기억과경험으로인식되어가는중간단계를보여주게된다. 따라서이를바탕으로그려진회화는단순히눈에보이는대상이아니라주관적으로인식된대상을재현해냄으로써보이는것 (visible) 과보이지않는것 (Invisible) 사이에존재하는작가만의내밀한경험과감각으로서의시각자체를통합적으로보여줄수있게되는것이다. 한편작업을진행하는과정에는필연적으로시간의요소가개입되는데사진을부조로재구성하고다시이를회화로그리는동안에떠올리는과거의기억과경험이다시현재화되어지금이순간의작품속에현현된다고볼수있을것이다. 일례로 2 인의초상 (double portrait, 2008) 을보면, 제니조는가족의일원이아닌제 3 자의입장에서집안의여러공간과부모의모습을촬영한후의도적으로재배치함으로써작가가바라보는가정의의미를보여주고있다. 거실이나다이닝룸등의공간이그의미에따라높낮이를달리하면서반복적으로펼쳐지고낮과밤에촬영된부모의모습이마치같은시공에존재하는것처럼사실적으로재구성됨으로써, 변하지않는가족의본질적가치가시간의순환성과동시성을통하여표현되고있는것이다. 은행복하고조화를이루는소중한공간임과동시에보이지않는부조화와갈등을내재하고있는심리적공간 임을드러내고있다. 이때사진부조에표현되어있는이미지라할지라도작가의주관적판단에따라그대상을지워버리거나첨가시키기도하는데, 2 인의초상 에서사라진다이닝룸의시계는작품자체가시간성을담고있기때문에의도적으로삭제된것이라할수있다. 제니조의작업을유심히살펴보면매우특징적인것이하나있는데그것은바로시점을작품의중요한조형요소로활용하고있다는점이다. 이러한측면에서볼때그녀의작업은세잔이나피카소혹은데이빗호크니의작업과많은연관을가지고있다고생각할수있을것이다. 하지만이들이대상의실재 (reality) 를재현하기위한수단으로서관념적으로시점 (perspective) 을활용하고있는것에반해, 제니조는대상에대한경험과기억을재현해내는조형요소의하나로적극적으로끌어들이고있다는점에서매우큰차이가있음을알수있다. 이세상의모든대상 (object) 은언제나그의미에앞서감각으로다가온다. 그래서우리는존재이후의물음을통하여세상의본질을파악할수밖에없다. 이러한지평에서의예술작품은인식주체로서의주관이대상을얼마나객관적으로보여줄수있느냐에따라그내면의비밀을세상에드러내는법이다. 같은맥락에서제니조의작업이현대미술로서의사진과회화의영역을더욱더확장시키고이를통하여새로운작품세계를개척해나가기를진심으로기대해본다. 김종호, 두산갤러리디렉터 이렇게완성된사진부조를다시회화로재현한 2 인의초상 은화려하고다채로운색감을통하여조화롭게표현되지만또한, 대담하고거친구도로이질적인공간들을연결시킴으로써 집

A Artist s Note All humans are born into given conditions such as society, family, and body. These given factors keep us in the physical world while the mind formulates a private world behind our body. Merleau-Ponty, the phenomenologist and the existentialist, states that the private worlds of individuals are based on the sensual response to reflection of the world. Thoughts can only be formulated according to what people see and experience. Y. X Y B Like he said, my basic interest and goal of my work lies on the point where the outside world and the inner world meet. In my works, I examined how the eyesight bridges the physical world and minds through visual perception by using perspective as a medium. X. Chart II. B. A. A B X Y Y. are then perceived by the brain, Y, which later integrate with the cognitive system such as memory, experience and concept. The chart that illustrates artists process of creation is usually the reverse of Chart I as shown in Chart II. In In-Between series, my perception of an object is projected back on to the canvas by using perspective as color palettes. Like process of perspective and perception, my work progress through time and forms. A. B. X. Chart I. The captured images are sorted and rearranged into a photo relief, a composition of variety of photo cut-outs attached to engineering wire and aluminum rods in different lengths. Finally, the sum of different perspectives on Photo Relief is rearranged, tweaked and perfected into a painting. The final representation is the result of exploraion of the in-between space of X and Y, the eyes and mind. We perceive the world through the perspective. The chart illustrates the process of perception and perspective. When the eye, X, sees the object, A, the projection of an image, B, is created. According to the perspective theory, the perspective represents the object not as it is but as we see them in space; therefore, creating infinite variety of visual forms. The collected images

EARLY WORKS

Side View Front View Source Images for AJ AJ, 2007, Engineering Wire, Photograph on Wood, 28 x 34 x 12 in (71 x 86 x 30 cm)

Michelangelo, Detail of Tomb of Giuliano dei Medici. Florence, S.Lorenzo Medici Chapel View from the top Reverse Image of Robert Mapplethorpe s Italian Mask (Photography), Drawing for Face Mask, Pencil and Ink on Tracing Paper, 2007 Face Mask, 2007, Engineering Wire, Photograph on Plexi-glass, 16 x 16 x 32 in (41 x 41 x 81 cm)

Source Images for My Room and Tree My Room and Tree, 2007, Oil on Canvas, 20 x 26 in (51 x 66 cm)

Source Images for From Magazine From Magazine, 2007, Oil on Canvas, 24 x 28 in (61 x 71 cm)

Source Images for Homage to Hockney Homage to Hockney, 2007, Oil and Contact Paper on Canvas, 28 x 24 in (71 x 61 cm)

IN-BETWEEN

Four of the six paintings in In-Between series depict the parts of my parents new house in Houston, Texas. The short tem visits of the new house during the holidays from New York created unique contrast between familiarity and unfamiliary as well as urban and suburb aesthetics. In each work, I inhibit the space as an observer instead of being a member of the family. Livingroom replicates the frontal view of the photo-relief created from the one-point perspective of the actual living room of my parents house. The frontal view of the living room, the heart of the house, becomes the on stage area while the curtain added on the painting divides the living room space from the rest of the house, which therefore, becomes the off stage area. Throughout the art history, stage symbolizes the ambiguous space that exists in between reality and fantasy. Similar to stage, motifs such as curtain, window and mirror that divide or extend the space make regular appearance in the series. Livingroom, 2008, Oil on Canvas, 24 x 34 in (61 x 86 cm)

Source Image for Living Room Photo Relief for Livingroom, 2008, Photograph and Engineering Wire on Wood, 25 x 17 x 10 in (64 x 43 x 25 cm)

The painting contains two different perspectives one from the right and the other from the left. The viewers are placed in the middle of two mirrors being forced to choose either right or left each leading into a descending stair case and ascending staircase. The space looks real from the first glance but the close observation reveals that the images of stair cases are from one existing stair case the view from the upstairs and from the down stairs. The added image of the inside of each mirror reflects the additional space added on the painting, which further adds another layer of reality. In front of a Mirror, 2008, Oil on Linen, 58 x 52 in (147 x 132 cm)

Source Image for In front of a Mirror Photo Relief for In front of a Mirror, 2008, Photograph and Engineering Wire on Wood, 22 x 17 x 10 in (59 x 43 x 25 cm)

Being isolated from the rest of the family members, I am observing the house from the out side of the windows. Into the each window, different perspective is depicted creating the maze-like composition symbolizing the complexity of meaning of family and their attachment to the space called home. Inspired by the composition of Donatello s relief, Feast of Herod, the use of dramatic lighting and diagonal lines along with the multi-perspective reveals the muted chaos yet maintaining overall harmony. Double Portrait (Triptych), 2008, Oil on Linen, 32 x 90 in (Three Panels of 32 x 30 in), 81 x 229 cm (Three Panels of 81 x 76 cm)

Source Image for Double Portrait Photo Composition for Double Portrait, 2008, Photograph, Engineering Wire on Wood, 5 x 15 x 10 in (64 x 33 x 25 cm)

Jan van Eyck, detail of Giovanni Arnolfini and His Bride, 1434. Vanitas Still Life Painting, Jacques de Gheyn the Elder, 1603 M.C. Escher, Hand with Reflecting Sphere, 1935 In addition to multi-perspective, in Still Life, I attempted to add another layer of perspective inside of each reflective surface of the objects. The space extends into the each object and the reflection of one object into another explores the relation of each object to another.each object creates it s own space around it. For objects, I used the traditional motifs that has been mass reproduced in modern life such a plastic Virgin Mary, plastic spheres and reflecting silverwares. The sphere hovering on top of the objects are also popular motif used by M.C. Escher, Gerhard Richter and many Renaissance painters. Unique juxtaposition of objects such as Virgin Mary and Disco Ball and Sharp object and round objects further complicates the relationship between each object. Still Life, 2008, Oil on Linen, 18 x 18 in (46 x 46 cm)

Source Image for Still Life Photo Composition for Still Life, 2008, Photograph, Engineering Wire on Wood, 14.5 x 14.5 x 9.5 in (37 x 37 x 24 cm)

Detail of Photo Relief for Still Life

Each panel is painted from different perspectives of a photo-relief. This painting explores the placement relationship of the house, tree and me based on visual perception. The width of each panel parallels the angle size of the each perspectives. In the center, the tree is blocking the view of the entrance of the house. In the side panels, the doors are shown as I move around the tree to capture the view of the entrance. The original photo was taken during twilight creating the overall ambiguous mood while the diagonal line that separates the house from the ground keeps the separate panels together. House, Tree and Me, 2009, Oil on Canvas, 23x36, 36x36, 28x36 in (58 x 91, 91 x 91, 71 x 91 cm)

Drawing for House Tree and Me

View from the left Frontal View Source Images for House, Tree and Me View from the Right Photo Relief for House, Tree and Me, 2009, Photograph, Engineering Wire, Aluminum Rod on Wood, 25 x 11.5 x 10 in (64 x 29 x 25 cm)

The Painting contains the front and back perspective; therefore, creating a mirror-like composition. The Stage, located in Commons Gallery at NYU, is inactive space where the blue curtain is drawn over most of the time. To me, the stage was the heart of the Art department building, which metaphorically represents the staged university experience. The restored mural on the stage juxtaposes the empty gallery space on the stage. The motifs such as curtain window and symmetry were used again to emphasize the uncertainty of space and time. Study of a Visual Perception on a Stage, 2009, Oil on Linen, 70 x 70 in (178 x 178 cm)

Photo Composition for Study of a Visual Perception on a Stage, 2009, Photograph, Engineering Wire, Aluminum Rod on Wood, 15x15x10 in (59 x 59 x 25 cm)

List of Works Exhibition view at Gana Art Gallery, New York, 2009 My Room and Tree, 2007 Oil on Canvas 20 x 26 in (51 x 66 cm) From Magazine, 2007 Oil on Canvas 24 x 28 in (61 x 71 cm) Homage to Hockney, 2007 Oil and Contact Paper on Canvas 28 x 24 in (71 x 61 cm) Livingroom, 2009 Oil on Canvas 24 x 34 in (61 x 86 cm) In front of a Mirror, 2009 Oil on Canvas 58 x 52 in (147 x 132 cm) Double Portrait (Triptych), 2008 Oil on Linen 32 x 90 in (Three Panels of 32 x 30 in) 81 x 76 cm (Three Panels of 81 x 76 cm) Still Life, 2008 Oil on Linen 18 x 18 in (46 x 46 cm) House Tree and Me, 2009 Oil on Canvas 23 x 36, 36 x 36, 28 x 36 in (58 x 91, 91 x 91, 71 x 91 cm) Study of a Visual Perception on a Stage 2009 Oil on Linen 70 x 70 in (178 x 178 cm) AJ, 2007 Engineering Wire, Photograph on Wood 28 x 34 x 12 in (71 x 86 x 30 cm) Face Mask, 2007 Engineering Wire, Photograph on Plexi-glass 16 x 16 x 32 in (41 x 41 x 81 cm) Photo Relief for Livingroom, 2009 Photograph and Engineering Wire on Wood 25 x 17 x 10 in (64 x 43 x 25 cm) Photo Relief for In front of a Mirror, 2009 Photograph and Engineering Wire on Wood 22 x 17 x 10 in (59 x 43 x 25 cm) Photo Relief for Double Portrait, 2008 Photograph and Engineering Wire on Wood 25 x 13 x 10 in (64 x 33 x 25 cm) Photo Relief for Still Life, 2008 Photograph and Engineering Wire on Wood 14.5 x 14.5 x 9.5 in (37x 37 x 24 cm) Photo Relief for House, Tree and Me, 2009 Photograph and Engineering Wire on Wood 25 x 11.5 x 10 in (64 x 29 x 25 cm) Photo Relief for Study of a Visual Perception on a Stage 2009 Photograph and Engineering Wire on Wood 22 x 22 x 10 in (59 x 59 x 25 cm)

Jenny Cho Biography Born 1985, Seoul, Korea. Moved to U.S. in 1998, Currently lives and works in New York 2008 Bachelor of Fine Art, New York University, New York Solo Exhibition 2009 In Between, Gana Art Gallery, New York Group Exhibition 2008 Disposition, Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition, Brooklyn, New York 2008 Art School My Life, Senior Thesis show, Secret Project Robot, Brooklyn, New York 2008 Paintings on Walls, Commons Gallery, New York University, New York 2007 In Between, Commons Gallery, New York University, New York Exhibition view at Gana Art Gallery, New York, 2009 Art Fair 2008 Scope Art Fair, Miami, Florida 2009 Art Chicago, Illinois

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