Pushing Myself

Pushing

Adjusting to Canada

Written and photographed by Kim Dohyung

Istill remember the time in October 2016 when I arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport. I had two main goals to achieve during my stay in Toronto. One of them was to study what I wanted to learn about, which was aircraft, and the other was to learn how to adapt to a new environment.

I was so excited thinking about all the fun I would have in Toronto, but at the same time, I doubtfully asked myself if I would be able to accomplish my goals alone. I was smiling on the outside, but inside I was full of anxiety.

Living in a different country was harder than I had expected. Since I was a newcomer and knew nobody in Toronto, I had to begin to settle in all by myself. Starting from getting a place to stay and opening a bank account, nothing was easy for me. Moreover, my English was not good enough to feel comfortable when talking to Canadians, which made my situation even worse. Therefore, I had to ask people I knew for help to solve problems that were never a problem before, but slowly, things came together and problems got solved.

In addition, I was having a hard time emotionally due to being apart from my family and friends. At the beginning of my stay, my life was full of loneliness and homesickness caused by the fact that I could not see those close to me. It was the first time that staying alone in a strange environment made me feel vulnerable. However, I tried to overcome these feelings that weakened my will to study, and I tried not to forget the goals I wanted to achieve for my future. I focused more on school activities like group study and working out. Eventually, I managed to make good friends and had great times that made unforgettable memories. I encountered new problems in a new environment, but I pushed myself to get by and enjoyed the moment.

Myself

Th ere was a time when I wanted to get a part-time job. If I had been in Korea, I would have gotten one easily, but in Toronto, it is diffi cult for people like me who did not have any working experience in Canada to get a job. I fi rst applied online but didn’t receive any response for a month. So, I decided to stop sitting on my chair and go out to face the world. I just walked into all the stores or restaurants in my neighborhood and handed them my resume in person. Although some shops were not hiring, I just entered, introduced myself, and left my resume on the counter. Fortunately, my strategy worked, and I was hired at a milk tea shop called “Gongcha.” I made so many good friends and had so many memorable times working at Gongcha. If I had just stayed at home and continued to apply online, just as I had done in Korea, I would not have gotten a job. Pushing myself to initiate action gave me better results.

Looking back on 2016, I changed a lot in that I now worry less and take more initiative. Th anks to all the problems that I confronted aft er arriving in Toronto, I learned that the best way to overcome obstacles is to face them and tackle them by pushing myself, not avoiding them. No matter how diffi cult the situation is or how big an obstacle may be, don’t forget to keep pushing until it is overcome!

The Author

Kim Dohyung is a passionate aircraft technician who loves music and exercising. He is also interested in cultural diff erences and global issues. Instagram: @davyyyyyyy_

Artist Talk in Gwangju:

Yonghyun Lim

Interview by Aekyeong Lee

The artist in his studio.

Aformer film and TV producer turned artist, Yonghyun Lim navigates a world dominated by media and information through media art. When he saw the media broadcast’s vague and subjective information to the public and then how viewers carelessly absorbed and reproduced it, he started doubting the authenticity of news that media and the public shared. This impression of media led him to the UK to become a media artist after completing a master’s in fine arts at the Chelsea College of Art and Design.

The main theme of his art is “ambivalence and ambiguity of media” caused by users who reproduce information either on purpose or without critical thinking. In the process of duplication and transformation of information, the data eventually becomes falsified and distorted. The dubious information reproduced by its users can tarnish a targeted person or brainwash the public. “There are no clear boundaries between a victim and an offender in media. Anyone can be both at the same time,” Lim says 1 . Let’s hear more from him through this interview with me that Lim happily agreed to.

Aekyeong Lee (AL): You say that the viewers of media misrepresent and twist information while reproducing it for various reasons, such as for purposes of entertainment or incitement. People spread twisted information without awareness, don’t they? What other factors fuel this tendency? Yonghyun Lim: Yes, you’re right. Lack of public awareness and passive resistance are two of the main reasons for this tendency. In addition, the public constantly desires information that satisfies its needs and tastes, which creates gossip, rumors, exaggerations, and fake news.

AL: What can you do, as an artist adopting media into your art, to prevent the mass media and misinformation from deceiving the public? In your previous interview with the Gwangju Museum of Art (GMA), you said you were calling public attention to the double-faced characteristic of media. However, I reckon we need more than just a warning at this stage to make a real change, don’t we? Yonghyun Lim: Self-awareness has a more powerful impact on our behavior. Stronger attempts to change the public’s attitude could become oppressive and restrictive, which will eventually cause side effects – discontent, outrage, and so on. For this reason, I keep questioning and warning the viewers to help them realize the problem at their own pace.

AL: Do you believe we can ever solve the problem of misinformation? Yonghyun Lim: No. There are always going to be issues related to media as long as we’re exposed to it. I don’t expect the problems to be solved. I just try to help the public stay aware and cautious when they receive any information from the media.

AL: My favorite work of yours is “Who Is You” (2018). In this work, you ask the audience which body figure is authentic among the three: one of the two on the screen or the real-life one. The figures in this work seem to represent different identities of the viewer. I think this work warns us that media can distort us as much as it can information, which results in identity crises. I believe you also experience this by living in a society dominated by media. So, I want to turn the tables and ask who the real you is. Yonghyun Lim: I, in real life, am the authentic one. I hope people find themselves to be authentic in real life. This is because the images in media easily conceal our authenticity. For example, your Instagram feed cannot represent the true you. It only shows a small piece of you through selected images.

AL: I’ve learned that some of your artwork is displayed in the current exhibition at the Hajungwoong Art Museum, a branch of the GMA. Could you explain to us the exhibition and your works there? Is there any diff erence or change from your previous works? Yonghyun Lim: Every year, the GMA features four young artists from around Korea for an annual exhibition. I’m one of the selected artists for this year. My works displayed in this exhibition, which is entitled “Light 2020 2 ,” convey the same messages as usual, but I tried new styles and forms this time. For example, “Shot (2020)” is an interactive piece of art that requires the audience’s physical contact to be activated, unlike most of my previous works. AL: Everyone in every fi eld is suff ering from COVID-19. How badly has the pandemic aff ected you? Yonghyun Lim: As you might know, most exhibitions have been canceled or postponed. So have my exhibitions and projects in China. Although I’ve been holding exhibitions at private art galleries in Korea, it’s been diffi cult to invite and welcome visitors because of the social distancing regulations. AL: Despite this diffi cult time, do you have any news about upcoming exhibitions or new projects? Yonghyun Lim: I’m thinking of focusing on projection for the theme of my work. My “media façade” is going to be projected on the wall of the old Jeollanam-do Provincial Offi ce at the ACC during the Gwangju Media Art Festival this October. You can also come to Damyang and see my live façade show at the Haedong Art and Culture Platform this December.

Shot (2020)

mapping 3 more because it’s the most suitable technique

Delight (2018)

AL: Finally, yet still importantly, could you describe the art of Gwangju as a local media artist to our readers? Yonghyun Lim: Gwangju is one of the best cities for artists, especially those who use media for their work. Th is is not only because Gwangju has been designated a city of media art by UNESCO but also because there are lots of supportive organizations and programs for artists in this city. Th e support from organizations provides local artists with more and better opportunities for selfdevelopment. Regarding art in Gwangju, it has a unique characteristic in its form. Th ere seem to be more artists who use lights than video or kinetic techniques.

AL: Might that be because Gwangju is the “City of Light?” Yonghyun Lim: Maybe. However, I hope you remember Gwangju is the “City of Art” as well.

Footnotes

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2

3 Gwangju Museum of Art. (2020). 2020년 광주시립미술관 임용현 작가 [Interview]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=jpeW34NhnUE Th e latest works of his are on display at the exhibition, “Light 2020,” in Hajungwoong Art Museum from August 22 to November 29. For his previous works, please visit his website: http://08anaki4.wixsite. com/jackie Projection mapping is a form of media art that projects and masks the surface of 3D or 2D objects.

The Interviewer

Aekyeong Lee is a manager of the International Residency and a curatorial assistant at the Gwangju Museum of Art. Aft er earning an MA in art museum and gallery studies in the U.K., she wanted to start a dialogue about art in her hometown of Gwangju with those who have diverse backgrounds. With a great interest in hearing from diff erent perspectives, she has begun this dialogue by interviewing local artists and art enthusiasts.