Self Initiated // New Talent Category Winner
WIA2016
Utopia
EUNJOO LEE is currently based in Glasgow. She received her BA Communication design degree from Hongik university 2012, in Seoul, and now she is studying MA Communication design in Glasgow School of Art, in U.K. She loves to study philosophy and psychology. So her personal works are connected with that subject, and she hopes her works make a better world. She is interested in publishing and graphic novel as well.
About Entry
Through “Utopia”, I wanted to depict ambiguous, philosophical matter efficiently. Utopia is too wide subject to illustrate, so I need to talk about hierarchy, social problem, fantasy and etc. So I drew key symbols for showing modern utopia. I really struggle to find appropriate symbols. Inside my work, I used a mobile for showing historical hierarchy, I got this idea after travel around Helsinki, to watch Alexander Calder’s mobile.
Website/Portfolio Address
polarbluebird.com/
Brief
In modern times, utopia is full of prejudice, and it is more intensified to be possible to get unlimited information from the internet. From this, Many people can think utopia have firm figure, however that figure is always based on our failure, and ambiguous area. I depicted ambiguous utopia connected with hierarchy.
Materials
Mainly I use digital material. And sometimes I use prints-making material.
Research
I tried to get source from philosophical essays, novels and reading material. They draw a direction about my work more firmly. I also spend lots of time watching films and dramas, connected with my interests. Sometimes I look up traditional old art work for visual research. Because I can study symbols from old historical works and they give me inspiration.
Process
Based on my research I draw thumbnail sketches. After that if I have a rough plan about my work, then I start searching for visual references such as patterns, structural things etc. Through visual references, I built up symbols, stories and moods. Usually after that I make visual language using Adobe Photoshop.
Resistances
The most difficult part is to communicate with people using visual language. Sometimes I draw too much information to show lots of things at once, and this interrupts communication with people. So after finishing my work I always look my work again, and try to make my work lighter than before.
Insight
I spend lots of time reading books. They give more spaces to illustrate visual language. I think the journey from text to visual language is really fantastic process.
Distractions
I always have dream even really tired time. And sometimes it is really fantastic, so I spend lots of time to think about my dream. Why and what, and find my own symbol connected with it.
Numbers
Zero, because utopia does not exist, but we still have words and meaning.
Afterwords
At first AOI, I really appreciated it. This is huge honor. I will do my best to show lots of good works. And thanks to everybody who give lots of inspiration.