Interview with Cho, Hui-Chin
Cho, Hui-Chin finished her Bachelor of Fine Art at Slade School of Fine Art 2014-2018 (First-class honours on the Dean's list). Having grown up in a richly integrative country, She has a deep interest in using an amalgamation of materials, especially the vintage or antique materials, to create philosophical dialogue through distorted subject matter and abstract motifs, and the enduring insistence of a grotesque iconography of baby sustains her work. Through a practice primarily concerned with painting and sculpture, Cho investigates the issue of materiality, especially leathers and furs sacrificed during the period 20s - 60s, with the dilemma behind such materials which are creatures by-products. Cho is interested in exploring how the metaphors are overlaid and integrated into the ordinary perception of things, simultaneously depicting the ambiguous identity of vintage references, and she insists responding to hidden metaphors of the materiality. Her works are concerned with a miscellany of incongruous figures and motifs; fragments join a narrative grotesquely but still compelling. Her inquisitive artistic approach is an act of introspection and a reflection on humanity, desire, fetish, ambivalence, sadism or obsession.Cho has won the CASS ART Painting Prize and the Steer Prize in 2018. Cho, Hui-Chin currently lives and works in London.
Could you please introduce yourself and tell us how you started in the arts? Tell us about your first experience in art making.
I was raised with an ambiguous identity in a multicultural environment in Taiwan, which is surrounded by a fusion of Japanese culture and Chinese aesthetics. In 2013, I moved to the UK at the age of 18, and in 2018 I finished my undergraduate degree at the UCL Slade School of Fine Art.
I started painting when I was around 4 or 5 years old. When I was 15 or 16, I was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder. Although I can deal with the state of panic now, during that period of time, I remember that I couldn’t face a crowd. This was such an obstacle for my adolescent self, although it was not a big deal. It is even said to be ‘normal’ for artists. During that period of time, the only thing which alleviated my outrageously changing mentality was my drawing of my own distorted self-portraits, which made me feel satisfied. At the same time, I realised that I was going to do something related to art in the future because I knew art would be my solace and hope.
How would you describe yourself and your artwork?
Both are grotesque but serene.
Honestly, I am such a timid, shy and introverted person, and facing a crowd would scare me out of my wits (but you can’t tell I am such a person when you look at me). My art is my medicine. It brings me solace and is a process of therapy. When I feel insecure about my ability, my artwork brings me a sense of achievement. It is a platform that helps me communicate with the world of temptations or the world of sensual pleasures and vanity.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
With a curiosity toward death, I have been researching and exploring subjects related to the existence between life and death in my artworks. This is because I have been enlightened that I have been close to death for around 10 years. I was diagnosed with a breast tumour in mid-2018, and such a feeling could actually be traced back to as early as the age of 15–16, when the thought of committing suicide kept coming to me.
As a result, the concrete reason of choosing certain materials is a fascinating musing to me. The possibility of creating an artwork certainly intrigues me. Apart from choosing materials, issues of humanity, figurations, controversies and sensations often inspire me. Precisely speaking, I believe that controversial issues intensely dominate me, and I enjoy arranging the discrepancy between the appearance and the meaning hidden behind, which coincides with one of my ideas—sugar-coated humanity, the darkest side of humanity. Moreover, I attempt to approach an inner equilibrium among my psychological dialogues; however, such equilibrium could never happen to me as I suffer from inner catastrophes. These, in a way, could be a source of my inspiration. Besides these, in terms of figurations, diverse multi-cultures, especially my own vague identity, massively fascinate me. This causes an ambiguous definition of ‘the figure’. I realise such ambiguity galvanises my imagination and inspires me to explore my own figurative style and personal motifs as grotesque figures.
What emotions do you hope viewers experience when looking at your art?
I hope viewers will be provoked and feel confused. I tend to present controversial or provoking concepts in an obscure way, and viewers have to look at my works and think for a long, long time. An example is my concept of taking the skin as a sugar-coated pill of certain violence which is wrapped by the name of intimacy. You might think that the colours are so pink or lovely in a way, but when the figures are twisted or scary, you would feel a bit uncomfortable looking at them and cannot deny that violence exists.
When do you know that an artwork is finished?
In the past, I overly relied on ‘instinct’. I waited for inspiration to come to me. This is because, in my paintings, I was seeking the sense of being loved, that is, intimacy and romance, which couldn’t be achieved in reality. It was difficult to tell people a practical reason why I thought a work was finished since it was associated with unconscious choices.
Now, I tend to force myself to follow a schedule (even though I sometimes only sit in front of my work, daydreaming or doodling). The first brushstroke, very often, is done by instinct. I struggle not to absolve my mind of everything. Honestly, I do not ‘intentionally design’ my artworks; I would say my works are accomplished within the process of realising the icon which could be easily told by a grotesque figure with two red cheeks. It has the ability to record my vague human self, and for me, it is the most immediate way of expressing myself. In the meantime, I tend to understand my current mental state so that I can think of the subject matter and equitable arrangements into the artworks in a logical way with my instinct and aesthetics.
What has been the most exciting moment in your art career so far?
There have been many different moments in which I felt content and satisfied, so it is unfair to choose only one moment as the most exciting. I would say that the most exciting moments have been when my works were bought by influential collectors. (I apologise that I cannot mention their names in this interview because it is quite important to protect their privacy; I cannot be sure whether they want to be mentioned.. It is amazing to receive e-mails from such people on typical mornings saying they would like to collect my sculptures and paintings. It is very exciting to me as a new (and young) artist to be noticed by talented and influential individuals.
However, I believe it is not a good thing for an artist to become too commercial. I tend to work on a variation of my iconic grotesque figures whenever I envisage something new, especially because I enjoy experimenting with new materials, which always amazes me. I tend to repeat my existing grotesque figures over and over again with a variety of expressions, and I enjoy exploring all the different ways of depicting them.
It is terrifying for people to leave their comfort zone. I have had a few successful (read: earning money with a gallery) exhibitions recently; however, it is crucial for me to challenge (or destroy) my current manifestations so that I can improve myself with new perceptions. Having the courage to change/challenge/destroy my ‘successful’ works is the most exciting moment to me.
How long does it take to produce one work?
It depends. In some cases, I might think it will take ages to finish a work, but I finish it in two to three days. For other works, I may think I will produce them quickly but end up taking quite a long time. I suppose that the time of finishing a work will depend on how my rationality and sensibility can maintain a balance, which controls the logical arrangement and emotional expressions.
What exciting projects are you working on right now? Can you share some of the future plans for your artworks?
I am working on a serial sensationally adventurous project, reflecting the phenomenon of obsession with abstract value. There are translucent natural precious stones and massive sludges of various materials included in the project; and there will be two-dimensional works, three-dimensional works, videos and performances. Everything is still secret now. I will reveal the secret around June 2019!
Do you have any upcoming events or exhibitions we should know about?
Yes, I will have a busy 2019. I am participating in Taipei Dangdai Salon in January, and in February, I will be exhibiting in Art Fair Philippines. In March, I have to finish all my secret projects whilst also participating in a group show in Hong Kong that includes works from Slade artists. From April to July, I will be doing artist residencies in three different cities in Japan, where I will be giving talks and showing my work. In June, I will be exhibiting in the Tokyo International Art Fair. In November, I will be having a double solo show in Taipei. Most importantly, I will be back in London doing my MA at the Royal College of Art until 2021.
Where do you see your art going in five years?
That is such an interesting question. My tutor at Slade told me that the ‘real artists’ are those who insist on being artists in the first five years of their career. I was confused the first time I heard this, but now, I can comprehend the wisdom of the words. Technically, I am just bracing myself for the very first year of my career, and being an artist is a long-term career. Therefore, I cannot be 100% sure that I can see where my career will be in five years. The only thing which I am totally sure of is that I will be carrying on and making various manifestations of my works for myself and for people who love and support me.
Email: info@chohuichin.com
Instagram: @chohuichin
Website: www.chin.art
