JUDY CHUNG

 Judy Chung was born in 1990 in Seoul, South Korea. She earned her BFA from Pratt Institute in 2013 and her MFA from Columbia University in 2018. Chung has been exhibited in group shows at Tatjana Pieter Gallery, Belgium; Miriam Gallery, NY; and Mom’s Gallery, NY. She has also contributed to publications including DATEAGLE ART, New American Painting, and Elastic Magazine. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Hi Judy! Thanks for joining me for Mint Tea. To begin, what’s your favorite tea? If you don’t drink tea, what kind of coffee or drink do you enjoy the most?

It would be a toss-up between peach tea and barley tea. I actually don't drink coffee, so I stick to teas myself. I've been drinking a lot of peach tea lately, but then I recently started drinking more barley tea. I drink I drink both the most.

Could you tell me about your background and your practice?

I was born in South Korea, but lived most of my life in the States. I started with Illustration as my BFA at Pratt Institute and then I studied Visual Arts as my MFA at Columbia University. As for my practice, I started getting interested in painting during my time as an undergraduate, and it's still my main choice of medium. I've since then expanded my practice to also include sculpture and installation.

What projects are you working on right now?

So right now I'm focusing on paintings mostly. I'm currently working on a series of paintings called “Symbiosis.” They kind of explore the social and psychological dynamics through various narratives that I make up. For this current series, I've been referencing a lot of charts and diagrams of ecosystems. I feel like I'm very interested in conflicting forces coexisting in the same space. I feel a lot of that reflects on my personal experiences and my life. So I guess you could say the “Symbiosis” paintings are sort of like an ecosystem chart, but it has its own set of rules, or its own food chain system, or it's really messed up and the rules are all messed up.

I am the most familiar with your paintings and drawings. Can you talk about how and why you choose to work with the media that you do?

I think drawing comes naturally because that's the medium everyone starts out with when they're a kid. It's like the first thing you do is you start to draw with whatever. When I was an undergrad, I actually wanted to become this illustrator who drew really detailed illustrations with watercolor and ink, but I was really, really bad at it.

Like I used to look at these old children's book illustrators a lot, and they would all use watercolor and ink, and they would draw these really detailed, beautiful illustrations. And I was like, “Okay, I'm gonna do that. I'm gonna do that as my job.” I was bad at it, even though I practiced a lot. So yeah, I was like, “Okay, I'm gonna try something else,” and I tried painting with oil and it felt a lot more liberating and natural than ink did for me. I think acrylic and oil are a lot more forgiving.

What’s your painting process like?

They always start as some sort of collage. Most recently, I’ve been merging elements from the web, put them all in Photoshop, and I compose an image. Then I'll paint that on the canvas, and I'll take process photos of my painting as I'm painting it. And then I'll actually bring those process photos back into the computer, and keep taking out imagery or adding in imagery as needed, until I feel like it's done. So actually, a lot of the process is digital.

Is there a change from your collage to painting during your process? Do you decide to like self-edit, or does it grow from the collage?

I think it does, yeah. I feel like in most of my paintings, there comes a point where I can't really do more. Like, no amount of collage, I can't put it into the computer and collage on top. It just has to be done. Like, it needs to be done instantaneously and on the spot on the canvas. Kind of instinctively, I guess? I think the painting does take like a life of its own after a certain point. I feel with the digital collage, it feels like adding everything together to make some sort of composed narrative, but it doesn't feel like it's mine at that point. It feels like, yes, I'm like bringing all these references, but it's just a collage. Doing it in paint kind of helps knit the sources of imagery together to create its own entity. It's appropriated from something else, but it feels separate, it could stand by itself.

What inspires your images? What do you search for?

I guess I would say they come most mostly from my personal experiences, whether it's emotional experiences or social experiences or things like that. But they’re told in a way that there are metaphors and other references that that stand in for what I'm talking about to kind of explore these personal things. In terms of actual image collecting, I have a Tumblr that I like to collect images on just for collecting references. I also use Instagram. Sometimes I use some of my own photos. Like, for this one painting, I saw this pool of water in the park, and I was like, “Oh, that's cool,” so I took a picture of it. I actually like I like to go on Etsy, and look at vintage stuff.That’s actually really good. Like, I won't necessarily be looking for anything specific, but I have keywords on Etsy that I look at, like pastel, kitsch, girly, sweet. I think it's really interesting because vintage items, they have the history, whether it’s the pattern or the color palette or the silhouette or whatever. And it's all connected to like culture and the time. Other times I’ll actually think of this like random thing from my memory, like, “Oh, man, I want to look at this like Yu-Gi-Oh card again,” and then I'll look it up and I'll remember and save it so I can look at it later.

I see shades of neon in your color palette. Having searched for neon oil paint myself, I know that it’s almost impossible to find. Do you make your own?

Yeah, so with acrylic paint, you can actually find neon colors. I don't know about other brands, but Golden does carry them, which is great. For oil paint, yeah, I can't find any either, so I do make my own for oil paint, which is a pain but it's like, you gotta do what you gotta do. I don’t know why they don't make it. Maybe it has to do with the lightfastness of the colors, maybe it's not stable or something. But yeah, I've never seen neon oil paint for sale before. I just get the pigment and I just mix it with oil. I'll make a batch and I’ll store it.

Can you talk about any imagery or symbols that you like to work with?

Yeah, I think the most prominent would be my use of Asian subculture, like imagery from anime, video games, kawaii, stuff like that. Other than that, I also really like to use references from mythology. I've always really been into mythology. Also art history. I’m also inspired by books that I've read. And natural history, specifically, more so for the “Symbiosis” paintings, because I referenced a lot of ecosystem charts and diagrams for that. There’s a lot of angels and vampires in my work. I definitely make characters of them and use them again and again. A lot of mythical creatures that I see, not only in video games, but also in mythology and history. And a lot of times I’ll kind of mix them all together to make like a new mythical creature or something.

It’s kind of like assembling your own avatar.

Yeah, yeah.

I sometimes see a female figure appear in your paintings. Do they function as a type of self-portrait or are they something else?

I think what you just said about an avatar is actually very, very apt for this question. They definitely function as some type of self-portrait that I can insert myself into, and I prefer to paint them kind of in a stylistic way rather than like actually paint my face in or something, because of two reasons. One would be, I prefer to put a bit of distance between myself and my work in order to not get too sentimental about it. I feel like what I'm talking about – they’re also talking about wider issues, but first and foremost, they mostly come from my own personal experiences. So, I feel like if I'm not being kind of careful, I can get a little too self-indulgent about the work – I prefer to keep a bit of distance so I can be a bit more objective and critical about it. The second reason would be, I would also like the viewer to have the opportunity to insert themselves into the figures, if they if they so wish. I think for that, the kind of bland, typical, anime-looking kind of face avatar is like the perfect vessel for that kind of self-inserting, other people inserting themselves. I think the word avatar is very fitting for the figures, because yeah, they reflect myself, but I feel like they can also reflect the viewers if they empathize with whatever’s going on.

Do you play any video games? What’s your favorite? I think I see references to games in some of your paintings.

Definitely one of my all-time favorites is Animal Crossing. I love Animal Crossing. I haven't been able to play the new one, though, because I don't have a Switch yet. I think I tend to like video games that offer a lot of customization, like Animal Crossing. I also like Pokemon, and Stardew Valley. Do you know Stardew Valley? It's like a thick a farming simulation game, and it is really fun! I know it kind of sounds kind of weird like, “Oh, why would working on a farm be fun?” but it is fun. Other than that, I used to play a lot of MMORPGs, massively multiplayer online role-playing games. That actually used to be, like, my life back in the day. Yeah, it was to the point where I would think my life – my primary life – was in that game and then the real world was kind of like my secondary life. So yeah, I'm currently refraining from playing MMORPGs because it's like a huge time sink. It can be very dangerous.

Other than that, I like playing laid-back games, games with a lot of customization. I actually also recently started playing more mature games, like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Have you heard of those? They’re scary, they have horror elements. Yeah, and it's apparently like really hard like to play it, like you have to get good. The only reason I started playing was I really liked the armor and the aesthetics. For me, that’s everything. Yeah, actually I get very scared while I'm playing it, but I still play it because I want to get this armor, or I want to get this weapon and look cute, right?

What was the prettiest game that you played, the most aesthetically pleasing?

I would say Animal Crossing. It’s so aesthetic! Like, I used to have a secret Animal Crossing Tumblr when I was really into it, aesthetic screenshots and everything. 

I remember loving your installation work “The Rubicon,” and I also remember your game that was a part of it. Can you talk about the relationship between your painting practice and your installation and sculptural works like “Girl Division?” How does working in multiple media affect your practice?

So for “The Rubicon,” it actually kind of came about, because I was actually thinking about the space and how to kind of present my work, before I actually thought about the actual work itself. I guess it was kind of like problem solving, because I knew I wanted to show both, painting and a video game, for my thesis, but I didn't want to just plunk down a computer in the middle of the gallery. I wanted them to be viewed in a separate space, so then I came up with the idea of, “Let's have the painting be a painting, but then also kind of like a portal or a door to this other space where you can access the game, and that space that houses the game can hopefully kind of be crazy.” So I was able to bring in different mediums and different thought processes through that mindset.

Actually, one of the reasons I went to an MFA was because, before I went, I was just purely painting, and I wanted to, you know explore other mediums. I knew I wanted to try to get into making something to do with like, video games, or coding. I wanted to get into sculpture, and installation. I wanted to have the opportunity to explore and branch out into those disciplines. I think I achieved that through my thesis. I definitely plan to continue the “Girl Division” series. I think I'm going to make them bigger though, because I like the size for the existing ones, but I think it's time to make them bigger. As for installations, I feel like that would be dependent on what specific space I'm like, able to use. Either that, or if I have like a really good idea for an installation Yeah, I definitely want to continue working in those disciplines more, but I think right now, because of how convenient painting can be, I'm just trying to focus on painting. I just want to try to get as much work out of me as I can. I feel like painting, for me is like the most comfortable. So I'm trying to focus on that.

Do you feel that your painting influences your sculptural works? It's almost like your sculptural works came out of your painting when I see it.

Yeah, I mean, I think they work the same way. Because the sculptures, they're like collages. They're just stitched from different parts and pieces of different stuff. Yeah, they have the same process as paintings, so that's very interesting. I like to think that they exist in the same world.

How do you think the size of the canvas that you paint on affects your work? I remember, you used to also make a lot of tiny drawings that were really effective right next to each other.

I think one of the things that I primarily think about before starting a painting would be, what size should it be? I think the drawings, they can also be something by themselves, but I think they're more like a vehicle to kind of physically visualize whatever I'm thinking about. Because they're just a lot more immediate than painting. For paintings, though, I feel like I err on the side of larger, mostly because a lot of the compositions and the narratives that I'm working with, I want them to seem epic, and I also reference a lot of neoclassical paintings for a lot of them. I am planning to make more smaller, intimate size paintings that kind of go into detail of what's going on within like those epic scenes. Like close ups or vignettes of certain areas of the narrative, the scene, and what's going on. I think those will be like smaller.

What is your favorite color? Does it find its way into your artworks? 

Would saying pastel colors he considered cheating? I would say pastel colors might be it. Yeah, it definitely finds its way into my work. I mean, I feel like most of my most of my work has a very kind of sweet, feminine palette. If I could choose one more color, it would be pastel colors and black, which is like very opposite, but I really like them, and they exist in large quantities in my work. If I had to pick one color, I would pick lavender, because I feel like it's a nice emotional balance between pink and blue. I feel like pink might be a little too sweet and girly, and then blue is kind of a little bit more – well, I guess I could say they’re feminine and masculine or something like that. Then it's like lavender is like in the middle.

Is there a new medium that you would like to try or to work in more?

So as a hobby, I really like to like craft. I really enjoy like sewing stuff and doing embroidery. I like recently – during COVID, actually – I picked up wool felting. Yeah, things like that, and I really want to try to bring some more of those crafty processes into my work. And I definitely want to continue making more kind of video game-like works. I have ideas, I just have to like, take the time to do everything.

Where are you located now? Do you think where you're located influences your practice?

I'm in Brooklyn right now. And yeah, definitely, like, more than if I were living somewhere else, to me, it makes me hustle more. Every time I come into the studio building, all of the other studios’ lights are on and everybody seems to be working every day. Everyone seems to be just hustling, so, so hard. It just makes me feel like, “Oh, my gosh, I'm falling behind, I have to work harder too.” So yeah, I think I think there is that kind of drive and energy here that's maybe not as prominent in other areas. I went to Pratt, but then before that, I was living in Georgia, which is really, really different from New York. Just, like, typical suburban, city neighborhood. I mean, the energy is definitely different.

How do you stay connected to your community?

Honestly, Instagram. Everything mostly I’ve done through Instagram. Like, all the shows that I've gotten so far have been through Instagram. I feel like, if used correctly, it can be like a really powerful tool. Very empowering. Another thing is, I'm also part of this platform called Serious Art. It's this platform where they support young and emerging artists by providing them with education on art business practices and legal counsel. And they sell their artists’ work for a fair commission and price point, so that most of the money can go to the artists instead of 50/50 gallery/artists. Yeah, actually that's been really great because we have like monthly artist Zoom meetings where everybody kind of catches up on what's going on. And it just feels nice to be part of something where we look out for each other, and have some sort of place where I feel like I kind of belong.

What’s your favorite tool?

Yeah, I think it's this specific paintbrush. They're, like, almost 10 years old or something, and I tried to get new ones, but they don't make this specific line anymore. And I'm sure there are other similar, really similar ones out there, but I haven't had the time, or I've been too lazy to look up similar ones. But, I don't know, they're so old, but they just do the job. You know? And it's like, I can't let go of them because I was so used to them.

What is the space where you do your work?

I have a studio space where I physically paint and make stuff that I share with my husband. And other than that it's gonna all be on the computer, my laptop specifically. Mostly from home, where I compose the compositions and edit the process pictures of the paintings to bring back to the studio and paint. Yeah, also my phone. My phone is really important. I feel like it's really interesting because my paintings are physical – like my process I feel like has  a physical, actual painting part of it, but when I'm like painting my paintings, when I want to take a look at it, I don't actually really look at it like in real life. I always take a picture of it with my phone and then look at it from the screen. And I feel like as a result, I think it looks better on the screen then maybe in real life? I don't know. Maybe it's because now we're so used to seeing everything through a like a flat screen, and also, the way the human eye works is different from the way a camera works, where the camera is able to take everything in at the same time, but then the human eye can’t. Maybe it's just a more efficient way for me to work? Maybe we're just becoming more accustomed to seeing how a camera sees because we're always looking at things on the screen? That's something that's gradually becoming more and more prominent in my practice or my process, digital aspects are increasing. Whether it’s just the time I spent more and more looking at the process images on the phone or editing compositions and paintings on my computer.

Do you have any ritual that helps you get into the zone?

Sometimes I sing, but only when I'm alone. I listen to everything, like K-pop, rock, alternative, dance music, anime music – openings and endings. Everything.

Do you have a favorite anime?

Yes. It's called “Kaguya-sama: Love Is War.” It is so good that I just listen to it while I'm like working at my day job. Like I just listen to it like a podcast or something. And I don't understand Japanese, but I've listened to it enough where I kind of know what they're saying. The thing is, I wasn’t actually much of an anime watching person until COVID happened and I had a lot of free time. Other than that, I guess like Sailor Moon and Yu-Gi-Oh are two animes from my childhood that I still enjoy, like they left a lasting impression.  Yeah, I really love Yu-Gi-Oh and I used to be so into Sailor Moon when I was a kid.

When do you know when you're finished with your artwork or body of work?

Mostly I just have to, like, look at it for a while. It can take days. It can take several days or weeks or something. But, I just kind of look at it. I take a picture with my phone, and then I just look at it whenever, like, the morning, before I go to bed, during my commute. I'll just like look at it and decide whether it's finished or not.

Are there any Korean artists who you especially like?

One person that I've really been liking the work of, her name is Kyung Me - there's like no last name or anything, I think she just goes by Kyung Me. She does these really, really detailed – I think they're like, pencil or pen – these really, really detailed drawings that are surreal, and crazy, and interesting, and weird.

Who are your favorite practicing artists?

Amy Brener, she does these silicone or resin or something – these weird armor-like sculptures and she embeds all these found objects into them. They're really, really cool. And then Jon Young, he does these paintings, he makes these, like, puffy fabric paintings. They're made out of holographic fabric, and then he has some sort of motif or image on it that he kind of pops up there. They’re like sculptural paintings or something, I can't really describe it. It's like a relief, kind of like a relief sculpture painting. One more is Annie Lapin, she's awesome. I really love her. She used to do more narrative-driven work, but I think she's focusing more on landscape recently, and her work just gets better and better. She’s one of the painters that I really enjoy looking at.

What gives you the feeling of butterflies in your stomach?

Okay, I don't know if this is like butterflies, or if it's heartburn or whatever, right? Whenever, after lunch, I’ve been having butterflies in my stomach or something, that's when I start kind of being hyperaware of my existence. Like I’m here as a human being and as a living thing and to be uncomfortable and stuff. I don't know if it's just heartburn or something else. Very hyperaware of myself, and I’m like, “Whoa, I’m breathing!”

What excites you?

What excites me? Food. I'm a very simple creature. Honestly, I would say the number one thing is food. I love food. I always love potato chips. I like tonkatsu, too.

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