행동이 먼저일까 의미가 먼저일까? 행동이 이루어지고 나서 그 행위에 어떤 의미가 따라오는 것인가 아니면 작가의 사고방식에 따라 작가의 행위가 따라오는것일까?

내 작업의 형식은 우연한 계기로 나에게 찾아왔다 , 흑연을 섞은 물그릇을 종이 위로 쏟았고 나는 종이 위에서 입자가 움직이는 것을 바라보다 손으로 만져보았다 입자들은 모이거나 흩어졌다. 종이라는 공간 위에서 내가 하는 행위와 물 흑연 작업실의 습도가 물을 말려가며 어떤 형상을 만들어 내기 시작했다.

나는 어느새 자연스럽게 대상을 손으로 어루만지며 그림을 그려내고 있었다. 손으로 그리다 보면 대상이 근사하게 그려보고자 하는 욕망은 옅어지고 그 대상을 어루만져 주고 싶은 마음을 따라 또 다른 대상이 종이 위에 그려진다.

내가 어떤 사람일까 어떤 예술가일까 늘 자문해도 답은 여전히 얻어지지 않지만 나를 둘러싼 환경과 타자들이 없다면 나는 존재할 수 없음은 확연히 느낀다. 세상을 겪으며 살아가다 보면 나에게 어떤 네러티브가 다가와 맺히는 때가 있고 자연의 흐름 안에 살아가는 사람들과 어디에나 피어있는 작은 들풀들, 수 많은 타자들 존재들을 깊게 응시하고 싶어 지는 순간이 있다. 이미지가 네러티브로 다가올 때는 그림책을 짓고 타자를 깊게 바라보고 응시하는 순간에는 회화를 작업한다.

Which comes first—action or meaning? Does meaning follow the action, or does the artist’s way of thinking guide the act itself? 

The form of my work arrived unexpectedly. I once spilled a bowl of water mixed with graphite onto paper. I watched the particles move, and instinctively touched them with my hand. The particles gathered and dispersed. On the surface of the paper, the combination of my gesture, the graphite and water, and even the humidity of my studio began to create forms as the liquid dried. Before I realized it, I was drawing by softly touching the paper with my hands.

When I draw with my hands, the desire to render something accurately fades, and instead, I follow the instinct to simply reach out and touch the subject. As I do so, one form leads naturally to another, and a new image appears.

I often ask myself: What kind of person am I? What kind of artist? Though I never seem to find a clear answer, I do know this: without others—without the people and environments around me—I cannot exist. There are times when, as I move through the world, a narrative quietly approaches and settles within me. At other times, I feel a deep urge to gaze upon people living within the flow of nature, or the small wild grasses growing everywhere. When images come to me in the form of a narrative, I create picture books. And when I find myself fully immersed in observing others, I paint.

2026.03 – Solo Exhibition (Invitational), Hoard Gallery, Korea (Upcoming)

2025.10 – Group Exhibition, The J Contemporary Art x Artsy, Korea (Upcoming)

2025.07.17–23 – Youth Art Market – 3rd July Artists, Seoul Arts Center, Korea

2025.07.01–22 – Summer Pocket: Young Artist Group Exhibition, Alpha Gallery, Korea

2025.05–06 – Work on Paper: The J x Hudgens Center for Art & Learning, International Exchange Exhibition, Georgia, USA

2025.03 – Bridge Art Festival in Manhattan, COSMOS___GALLERY, New York, USA

2025.02 – Bridge Art Festival in Seoul, Alpha Gallery, Korea

2024.10 – Two-Person Exhibition, Featured Artist, PLEE Auction, Korea

2024.07 – Artist of the Month, PLEE Auction, Korea

2024.02 – “Orot” Picture Book Artist Group Show, Space Arc, Korea

2023.12 – “Similar and Different”, Group Exhibition, Korea

2023.08 – UNDER 100, Group Exhibition at The Hyundai Daegu, Korea

Feb 26, 2024 – Picture Book“I Must Have Resembled the Waves” (Written & Illustrated by Haerin Yoo, Woongjin Junior)

Oct 2024 – Selected for “White Ravens 2024”,International Youth Library, Munich, Germany