Jung Min, The Beauty of Emptiness, 2020, mixed media on paper, 30" x 26"

My work for the London Biennale is a continuation of my current practice which explores the individual's existence and struggle within the female body as a vessel.

The work consists of a series of mixed media charcoal drawings depicting contorted and manipulated figures. Parts of the drawing (the masking tape) interact with thesurrounding space for example, some parts of the work flow down to the ground.

My work explores the conflict and internal struggles that derive from cultural influences such as social constructs, social media, political ideology, information overload, etc. The current cultural climate has been more divisive than ever and can be overwhelming. This is a distraction for self-discovery. Through my work, I am using my female body and ethnic black hair to create images of extreme discomfort and visual dissonance. The intention is to symbolize an identity, one that is prejudged by gender and ethnicity and the stereotypes that surround it, becoming so dissonant that it seeks the viewer to look inward on their own biases and beliefs to resolve it.

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Jung Min (aka MJ) is from South Korea and 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. Though her art practice, she intends to elaborates on her uncomfortable feelings towards navigating these societies, which have had an impact on the development of her identity.

www.minjung-art.com