Bo Song — Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

Could you please introduce yourself and tell us how you started in the arts? And your first experience in art making?

When I was younger, I never attended any art academies to learn how to paint or draw, mainly because I never really had an interest in the arts. It was not until I got married and had children that I suddenly decided to take up painting. In 2008, I enrolled in an arts academy program at the Hyundai Department Store Culture Center. At what I then considered to be the relatively late age of 40, this was my first ever experience in learning how to paint. Back then, not really knowing what I was doing, I would just take hold of my brush and paints and start making thick brushstrokes without even preparing a rough sketch. Much to my surprise, my work looked like that of a seasoned artist rather than of a complete beginner. In fact, perhaps because I had never learned anything about painting and working with different shapes and colors, I did not find it particularly difficult. My first lessons were actually a time for me to have fun and try out new things. My early works were essentially as simple as art could get, with me just filling out the canvas with different colors to create various shapes. After some time had passed, I traveled to the United States of America in 2011 to study at Oakland Community College, where I took some courses on the basics and theories in arts studies. I then transferred to Oakland University, where I studied until graduated, before coming back to Korea in 2016. Upon returning home, I studied at Hongik Graduate Art School and Dankook Graduate Art School. Since completing my graduate studies, I have continued to paint with the same mindset I had all those years back when I held my first brush.

How would you describe yourself and your artwork?

I am someone who loves traveling and is actually quite comfortable with spending time alone. I enjoy reading, listening to music, and even playing the piano from time to time. I also love beautiful place, quiet places, places with music, and places where I can take time to meditate. I feel a close connection with the mountains and trees in rural areas as opposed to the urban sights of cities. Also, I prefer the serenity of nature over loud and busy settings.

As a very reserved and quit child from a young age, I was never really stubborn or selfish. However, as time passed and I grew older, my personality began to change along with my surroundings. Through that process of change, I came to realize that, with each passing day, I was a different person from who I was the day before. And so, every morning, I would wake up telling myself, “Today is the start of yet another life. Each and every day is a different life.” From a Buddhist perspective, a single day is perceived as a single life. Under this belief, each day represents the start of a new life as part of an eternal cycle of life and death following one’s destined path. This core concept from Buddhism is an important element that serves as the foundation for my artworks.

Much like this concept of rebirth, my paintings follow a similar cycle, subject to new interpretations every day that can express different emotions and ideas. The main theme of my works is nature, which I use to express emotions or the unseen energy, dynamics, and thoughts of living things. For example, many of my works in the past used different aspects of nature to represent my feelings at the time. Since 2017, I began to focus more on Mandala designs, using abstract images within complete circles to express the basic elements of life: earth, water, fire, and wind. The typical characteristic of Mandala designs are circles, which also symbolize perfection. Images that are drawn within these circles are considered to be in perfect harmony with each other. When multiple circles come together, they begin to impact each other in different ways, while constantly in motion. This concept aligns with the Buddhist law of karma, or cause and effect, which is an important part of natural order and the workings of the universe.

These Mandelas, with unique colors that interact with each other, create an appealing sense of visual harmony, which is exactly the type of imagery I aim to create.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

The inspiration for my work comes from my old pictures, memories, or emotions. I tend to express my inner life philosophy or Buddhist values in my paintings through abstract colors and shapes. Most of my works incorporate shapes and landscapes that are not normally seen in nature but, rather, borne from my imagination. I cannot say for sure whether these images come from faint memories of my past or from my passion for life. In any case, my artworks are an expression of myself. My existence can be defined as the strength and energy I possess as a living, breathing person, and that in itself is a small universe of its own.

What emotions do you hope the viewers experience when looking at your art?

People in today’s society often find themselves lonely although they are never really alone. Nowadays, people are busier than ever in their daily lives, all while exposed to an endless number of channels through which they can access an equally endless amount of information. With modern society having grown so accustomed to the complex and diverse surroundings of today’s world, I want people quietly and calmly find moments of reprieve and receive good vibes just by briefly looking at my paintings as they carry out their busy lives. As such, my paintings do not focus on extremely philosophical or metaphysical concepts; rather, they are meant to spark something within viewers through simple emotional connections. I paint with the hope that the raw colors and abstract shapes of my works can help bring some energy and brightness to the lives of my viewers.

When do you know that an artwork is finished?

Regardless of the piece I am working on, painting the image I initially envisioned on the first try is never easy, especially within a limited amount of time. Unfortunately, neither an artist’s feelings nor the need to perfectly recreate the intended product give a free pass to spend extra time on a given piece. When it comes to my work, I tend to draw the basic outline as quickly as possible and then gradually layer on the paints over and over again. Through this process, I try to make sure that all the elements I had originally planned on are incorporated as best as possible. I consider an artwork finished when all of the colors and lines no longer need any adjustments.

What has been the most exciting moment in your art career so far?

My most memorable moment would have to be my first group exhibit, “Autumn Equinox”: Collective Visions in Abstraction and Figuration, held at the Agora Gallery in New York in 2018. To be a part of a group exhibition in the artistic hotspot that is New York was a brand new and remarkable experience for me, and it inspired me to take part in various other exhibitions around the world.

How long does it take to produce one work?

In general, it takes around three hours or so for me to come up with the overall concept lines and basic color scheme of my paintings. However, for oil paintings, several layers are required to achieve the intended beauty of the piece. This means that it usually takes around two to three weeks to complete even the smallest of artworks, while larger ones might even take up to at least a month.