2020 Bio
Jung Min aka MJ is from South Korea, currently, lives and teaches at the University of Nevada Las Vegas
in Las Vegas, Nevada. She earned her MFA in Visual Studies from the Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Her work navigates between individual desires and social expectations. It also addresses the internal
conflicts that the artist faces as a female Korean living in a foreign country. Through her art practice, she
intends to elaborate on her uncomfortable feelings towards navigating these societies, which have had
an impact on the development of her identity.
Statement
My work navigates between Eastern and Western cultures and addresses the internal conflict I face as a female Korean artist working in the US. I am from the transitory generation in Korea, which means we are in a constant state of Westernizing and attempting to become Westernized. Through investigating the collision of two cultures, I am interested in exploring the individual’s existence beyond cultural and social influences. I call these influences ‘others.’ Living in modern-day society, we are surrounded by many influences—pop culture, social media, information overload, etc. Many influences in contemporary society can be overwhelming, and can prevent us from self-discovery.
Through my art, I explore my identity, which is disrupted by ‘others,’ through my study of cultural taboos, sexuality, and femininity. I intend to not only share my personal experience, but also to respond to my generation’s struggles in navigating throughout this overwhelming network of ‘others.’