Jung S Kim | Thinking About Photography

Jung S Kim

www.jungskim.net

Circle II

Circle II: Identical illusion is a masquerading self-portrait series in search of flawless raw “I” and core identity that delves into my personal journey, drawing inspiration from the complexities of my upbringing and the cultural tapestry that has woven through my experiences.

In the midst of my childhood marked by my parents' divorce, I navigated through the stormy seas of uncertainty, moving from one relative's home to another. This period became a framework through which I observed the application of power dynamics and the contradictions inherent in Confucian values in Korean society. Among these turbulent times, the most profound experience was living with my aunt, a Korean shaman. During the five years of cohabitation with my shaman aunt, the influence of shamanistic Buddhist art stimulated my artistic sensibility and creativity, later becoming a significant motif in the whole Circle series as well as Circle II series. This interplay of personal experiences and cultural critique has molded the series into an exploration of self and a broader societal commentary. A shocking encounter left a lasting imprint on my soul, compelling me to reconstruct these early experiences through photography. This artistic endeavor became a means to transcend personal trauma and delve into the layers of my identity. Drawing inspiration from Korean folk art and props, my work exposes distorted and layered personas shaped by cultural norms and societal boundaries.

The Circle II series is a journey to meet the unadorned, complete, and pure ‘I.’ This series was motivated from the Korean didactic tales and legends, which is "The wicked fall and the good prosper". I replaced different fictional characters in the folklores with myself. The personalities of the characters are reinterpreted from a subjective point of view. So their personalities are intentionally twisted and exaggerated by unnatural beatification, despising caricaturing, maximization of extreme fear and complete identifying. Through the methodology of my disguised self-portrait, I aim to achieve gender equality within myself through the fluid exchange of male and female characters, embodying my belief in bisexuality for everyone. Traditional barriers that glorify good and punish evil within myself collapse, and the obsessive belief in patience as a virtue becomes obsolete.

In essence, Circle II strives to find a delicate balance between personal narrative and cultural critique. By intertwining the threads of my own experiences with the broader societal challenges, the series leads me with confidence from imagination to reality. Thus, this series is a form of self - meditation to obtain equilibrium of my soul, as well as a personal diary of the process from immaturity to maturity.

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