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deulleya · 4 months ago

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"who am i? do i know myself?"

the thirteenth instalment of my musical translation series — in which a playwright and a painter connect across spatial and temporal barriers, seeking both inspiration and solace in each other, staged through a blend of post-impressionist paintings and the theatre of cruelty.

the videos are not mine, but all translations are my own.

musical: artaud, gogh (아르토, 고흐)

cast (2023): [antonin artaud] yoo seunghyun, ahn jaeyoung, yang jiwon • [vincent van gogh] cho poongrae, kim junyoung, park jwaheon • [the doctor] lim byeongkeun, lee hyeonghoon, lim byeol

synopsis: suffering from the aftereffects of meningitis and secluded in a mental institution, the playwright antonin artaud learns of the deceased painter vincent van gogh. gazing at the postcards of gogh's paintings, artaud sinks into the realm of his unconscious, seeking out gogh to validate his own creative beliefs. misunderstood and shunned by a world that does not understand their art, artaud and gogh soon find a kindred spirit in each other...

production: never ending play (twitter / youtube)

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마음 속 태양 – the sun in our hearts

kim junyoung as gogh, yoo seunghyun as artaud

[Gogh] Recall it; imagine it You just have to close your eyes The ocean in my heart is yellow And the sky in my imagination is green

Recall it; imagine it You just have to gaze at it for a long time Like the sun shining boundlessly in the dark universe There is a sun in our hearts too

Even if darkness encroaches upon our lives The sun in our hearts will not be extinguished Even if the sun sets in the twilight of our lives The sun in our hearts will burn a bright red

Life is lived to burn questions Asking and writhing endlessly Life is lived to burn questions Falling and climbing boundlessly

[Artaud] Gogh’s paint does not simply colour in the monochrome. He makes the stilled nature — the nature tied down and suppressed by society’s gaze — quiver and come to life without a care. With the steel hammer that is his paint, he makes all that was asleep dance.

[Gogh] Life is lived to burn questions Asking and writhing endlessly Life is lived to burn questions Falling and climbing boundlessly It is burning; it is burning

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링크 – link

kim junyoung as gogh, yoo seunghyun as artaud

[Artaud] Stars. Crows. Fields. Flowers. Trees. Skies. And again, stars.

[Artaud] I gaze at your painting I gaze at you, beyond your painting Your painting is burning Your questions are burning

Who are you? Do you know me? I want to meet you I want to ask you questions I want to burn you

[Gogh] I gaze at your face I gaze at you, beyond your face Your face is burning Your questions are burning

Who are you? Do you know me? I want to drink you I want to burn you I want to apply you

[All] If I burn you, can I know the answer? If I drink you, can I escape? If I apply you, can I live on? Who are you? (Who are you?) I burn you (I burn you)

The crow cries The fields dance The wine-coloured path Knocks on the afterlife’s door Passing by the gloomy underworld’s door The mystical door of the afterlife appears

[Artaud/Gogh] The straw hat / Dazzles the eyes The pipe between your lips / Gazes at you The torment of losing an ear / The abyssal waters of his calloused hand

[All] Engulfs him, sorrowfully

[Artaud] Wrapping not bandages, but paint Around his scorched hand

[Gogh] Carving the pain of scars Not into the heart, but upon the white wall

[All] Applying its paint onto the white wall Suffering moves my hand; I am alive Sorrow moves my hand; I am alive I am alive

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자연 – nature

kim junyoung as gogh, kim juho as the doctor, yoo seunghyun as artaud

[Doctor] Your two eyes are gazing towards death Your two hands are shaking with seizures Your sorrow, your seizures A madness and a curse

[Gogh] My two eyes are gazing towards nature My two hands are painting beyond nature My body is the wind, my body is a tree The sun and the universe

[Doctor] This brush is a knife that stabs you

[Gogh] This paint is the blood that cleanses my soul

[Doctor] In order to save your body

[Gogh] I must meet that person This brush is a knife that dismantles the world

[Doctor] This paint is the blood you spill

[Gogh] In order to protect my soul

[Doctor] You must kill your soul

[Doctor / Gogh] Sorrow / My body is the wind Seizures / My body is a tree Madness / My body is the sun Curse / My body is the universe

[Gogh / Doctor] Sorrow / Your sorrow Seizures / Your seizures Madness / Your madness Curse / Your curse

[All] Sorrow, seizures, madness, curse Sorrow, seizures, madness, curse

[Gogh] My body is the universe

[Doctor] Your curse

[D] This brush is a knife that stabs you [G] Sorrow, seizures

[D] Madness, curse [G] This paint is the blood that cleanses my soul

[D] In order to save your body [G] Sorrow, seizures

[D] Madness, curse [G] I must meet that person

[All] This brush is a knife that dismantles the world This paint is the blood that you spill In order to protect my soul You must kill your soul

[Doctor / Gogh / Artaud] Sorrow. / Wind. / The sorrowful wind. Seizures. / Tree. / The tree seizes. Madness. / Sun. / The sun’s madness Curse. / Universe. / Curses the universe.

[Gogh] You hear it too, don’t you? The voice calling to me from afar.

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산책 – a walk

yoo seunghyun as artaud, kim junyoung as gogh

[Artaud] It's dazzling; your painting Your two eyes that gaze at the world Your life, that falters as it walks Your life, torn apart by distorted eyes

[Gogh] It’s mystical; your mask Your two eyes that go beyond the world Your life, that falters as it walks Your life, shattered upon the era’s noise

[Artaud] Like seeds, the torn painting Is sown in the barren ground

[Gogh] Like salt, the shattered mask Is soaked by the cold ocean

[Artaud] When flowers bloom from the dry ground

[Gogh] When flowers bloom above the ocean

[All] May you be born again May you be born again

[A] It dazzles; your painting [G] It’s mystical; your mask

[A] Your two eyes that gaze at the world [G] Your two eyes that go beyond the world

[A] Your life, that falters as it walks [G] Your life, that falters as it walks

[A] Your life, torn apart by distorted eyes [G] Your life, shattered upon the era’s noise

[Artaud] It's dazzling; your painting

[Gogh] It’s mystical; your mask

[ original korean lyrics here. ]

#아르토 고흐 #artaud gogh #김준영 #kim junyoung #유승현 #yoo seunghyun #김주호 #korean musicals #연뮤 #musical translations

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0613magazine · 1 year ago

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051623 Vogue Korea

모든 순간, 진심의 RM

아름다움을 찬양하는 기쁨, 낮추고 배우려는 열정, 안일함을 물리치는 의지, 그것이 청춘이자 RM이다.

서면 인터뷰의 답변은 인터뷰이가 편안한 상태에서 쓰곤 합니다. 지금 어느 시간대, 어느 공간에 있나요? 고개를 들면 무엇이 눈에 띄나요?

이런 서면 인터뷰는 휴대폰으로 쓰고 싶지 않아 작업실에 와서 컴퓨터를 켤 때까지 기다렸습니다. 지금은 토요일 오후 10시 30분이고, 운동과 작업 후에 작업실 의자에 앉아 있어요. 고개를 들면 늘 걸려 있는 윤형근 선생님의 그림과 각종 작업 장비가 눈에 띕니다. 제 손때가 묻은 가장 익숙한 물건이 많죠.

한국가구박물관에서 <보그> 커버 촬영을 함께 합니다. RM은 단순히 ‘멋진 모습을 촬영한다’를 넘어 화보 촬영 하나에도 확고한 주관이 있을 것 같습니다. 이번 <보그> 커버 작업에서 달성하고 싶은 목표 혹은 바람은 무엇인가요?

개인 커버는 처음인 데다 <보그> 커버라서 부담이 큽니다. 맞아요. 단순히 외양이나 느낌이 멋있다기보다는, 정서나 정신이 같이 담길 수 있는 사진이었으면 좋겠다는 생각입니다. 저보다 외형이 멋진 분은 많으니까요. 그리고 보테가 베네타와 함께하는 만큼, 그들의 감도나 철학이 같이 은은히 비치면 좋겠다는 바람입니다.

아티스트는 홀로 창작과 표현의 영역을 감내하지만, 이번 화보 촬영처럼 여러 스태프와 함께 하는 일도 많습니다(두 개가 함께 간다고 봐야겠죠). 하나의 결과물을 위해 여러 사람과 작업할 때 고수하는 원칙이 있나요?

최근에 아주 다양하고 새로운 사람들과 함께 하고 있어요. 전에는 혼자 끌고 가거나 적은 인원과 일하는 경험뿐이어서 이번 기회에 신선한 자극과 영감을 많이 받는데, 원칙을 세우는 중이에요. 다만 제 이야기가 담긴다면 어디에서건 저의 크리에이티브를 지켜야 한다고 믿습니다. 그러기 위해서는 삶을 다각도로 조망하고, 충실하고 빼곡하게 매일의 페이지를 채워야 한다고 생각해요. 삶에 충실하고 노는 것에도 충실해야, 작업과 창작도 잘할 수 있겠죠. 창작도 결국 하나의 직업일 뿐이라는 것을 잊지 않으려고 해요.

보테가 베네타의 크리에이티브 디렉터 마티유 블라지와 인스타그램에서 서로를 향한 코멘트를 주고받았죠. 마티유는 RM의 보테가 베네타 캠페인 사진을 올리면서 ‘가족’이 된 것을 환영했고, 당신도 일원이 돼서 기쁘다는 글을 올렸습니다. 지난 2월 밀라노에서 열린 보테가 베네타의 2023 F/W 컬렉션에도 참석했죠. 올 블랙 룩이 브랜드 이미지와 부합하면서도 RM다웠습니다. 그간 음악과 미술에 대한 당신의 열정은 여실히 드러났지만, 패션에 대한 생각은 읽기가 쉽지 않았어요. 당신에게 패션은 어떤 의미인가요?

언젠가 “패션은 사상이다”라는 말을 접하고 굉장히 인상적이었습니다. 과장됐다 싶으면서도 일견 고개를 끄덕이게 하는 부분이 있었어요. 늘 패션을 일종의 태도나 자세에 가깝다고 여겨왔습니다. 옷을 벗고 다닐 수는 없으니까요. 남들에게 강요하지 않으면서도, 우아하게 스스로를 드러낼 수 있는 날개이기도 하고요. 그러나 요즘에는 너무 많은 의미를 부여하지 않으려고 해요. 가끔은 그런 생각이 저를 잡아먹는 것 같아서요, 하하. 그러나 저는 여전히 패션을 사랑하고, 중요하게 여깁니다. 저의 패션사도 계속 변해왔거든요. 스트리트에서 고딕, 아메리칸 캐주얼로, 또 미니멀에 꽂힐 때도 있었고요.

당신의 예술 사랑, 특히 한국 예술 사랑은 유명합니다. 지난 <보그> 인터뷰에서도 “집에 미술품을 거는 건 영적 체험”이라고 말했어요. 제게 미술이 처음 다가온 때는 2015년 한가람미술관에서 열린 마크 로스코(Mark Rothko) 전시였어요. 그의 빨간 추상화에 빨려 들어갈 것 같았거든요. 그 작품을 보고 “나도 색깔 그림을 그리고 싶어”라고 말한 꼬마도 기억나요. 미술과의 강렬한 첫 만남을 묘사해주세요.

기억은 계속 편집되기 때문에 정확하지는 않지만, 제가 기억하는 처음은 시카고 아트 인스티튜트에서 모네와 고흐, 쇠라의 그림을 접할 때였어요. 아마도 2018년 말쯤으로 기억됩니다. 투어 중이었는데 ‘뮤지엄 한번 가보자’는 생각으로 갔던 게 강렬한 체험이 됐죠. 교과서나 컴퓨터에서만 보던 그림을 실제로 마티에르까지 접하게 되니 ‘아, 역시 직접 가서 보는 게 맞구나’ 싶더라고요. 제가 그림에 소질이 전혀 없어서, 생전 처음 보는 대가들의 색채 감각과 작업물에 경탄하면서 정신없이 봤던 기억이 나요. 특히 ‘그랑 드 자트 섬의 일요일 오후’가 아주 강렬했어요.

당신이 찾아가는 전시, 인스타그램에 인증한 작품은 단연 화제예요. 그것이 부담스럽기도 하고, 좋은 전시를 대중에게 알렸다는 뿌듯함도 느낄 것 같은데, 어떤가요? 관람한 전시를 대중에게 소개하는 특별한 이유가 있나요?

몇 번 얘기한 적 있는데, 각자 인스타그램, 특히 퍼블릭 피겨의 피드는 일종의 큐레이션 아닐까요. 그 사람이 무엇을 좇는지, 무엇을 드러내고 싶은지 어느 정도 여실히 보여준다고 생각해요. 워낙 전시를 많이 다니고 이쪽의 인플루언서로 소개되다 보니 부담스러운 면도 없지 않지만, ‘제게 관심 있거나 절 좋아하는 분들이 한 분이라도 더 좋은 체험을 할 수 있다면…’ 하는 마음으로 포스트를 올리는 편이에요. 특히 한국 근현대 미술이나 고미술에 대해 저와 같은 젊은 세대의 관심이 절실하다고 생각합니다.

미디어아트나 퍼포먼스 쪽보다는 회화, 공예에 관심이 많아 보여요. 마음이 그 방향으로 가는 이유를 생각해봤나요?

글쎄요. 아무래도 보통 미디어아트나 퍼포먼스 쪽으로 가는 과정이 좀 더 번거롭고 어렵긴 하겠죠? 그리고 전시관에 가서 보는 것도 일종의 체험인데, 미디어나 영상은 1시간가량 되는 무거운 분량이 많아서 아무래도 조금 힘들게 느껴지기도 해요. 그러나 점점 미술을 좋아하면서 그쪽에도 나름의 관점이 생기지 않을까 생각합니다. 그래도 백남준이나 이승택, 슈타이얼, 브루스 나우먼 등은 아주 흥미롭게 봤습니다. 퍼포먼스는 아무래도 직접 목격할 일이 많지 않아서 그런지 영상으로는 조금 약하게 느껴져요. 제게는 전시에 가는 것도 일종의 취미이자 일상의 환기인데, 회화나 공예는 보면서 스스로 마티에르라든지, 얽힌 이야기라든지 좀 더 해석과 감상의 여지가 많지 않나 싶습니다. 그리고 사실, 일단 더 예쁘고 쉽고 편하잖아요. 하하. 이걸 부정하면 안 되겠죠.

<알쓸인잡>을 보면서 더 느꼈는데, 지식과 지혜를 흡수하고자 하는 열정이 커 보여요. 보통 사회생활을 오래 하거나 일가를 이루면 ‘자신만의 기준’(고집에 가까운)이 생기기 마련이라 귀를 닫곤 합니다. 특히 슈퍼스타라면 그렇게 되기 더 쉽다고 생각해요. 그래서 당신이 마음을 열고 배우려는 태도가 신기하고 대단합니다. 지식과 지혜를 탐구하는 이유는 무엇인가요? 근래 탐닉하는 영역은요?

50·60·70대에도 여전히 새로운 것에 열려 있는 분들을 보면 경외감부터 듭니다. ‘정보 과잉’ 시대에 갓 서른도 젊은 꼰대가 되기 십상인 시대잖아요. 제 결함이나 부족을 제대로 알려고 노력합니다. 새로운 체험이나 결과물을 접할 때 처음 드는 불쾌감이나 프레임에 갇히지 않으려고 애쓰는 편입니다. 지적 욕망은, 저는 당연하다고 생각해요. 공부는 평생 하는 거라고들 하잖아요. 세상에 제가 모르는 것들, 흥미로운 분야가 정말 많아요. 미술사, 미학, 건축, 세계사, 한국사 등을 통해 더 지혜로운 사람이 될 수 있다고 믿어요. 최근에는 사진과 고미술에 탐닉하고 있습니다.

얼마 전 황소윤(So!YoON!) 앨범에 함께한 곡도 좋았고, 솔로 앨범에서 체리필터 조유진, 박지윤과 함께한 트랙도 좋아합니다. 들으면서 ‘이 아티스트는 제한 없는 사람이구나, 자유로워 보인다’ 싶었어요. 어떤 뮤지션과 함께하고 ��나요?

예전에는 그런 기준이 있었던 것 같은데 지금은 잘 모르겠어요. 다만 어느 위치에, 어느 정도의 확신을 갖고 서 있든, 무언가를 향해 더 나아가려는 사람들. 단순히 욕망만이 아니라, 실현할 수 있는 역량과 재능을 갖추고 길을 찾아 헤매는 사람을 좋아해요. 결국 저는 그런 사람들로부터도 제 이야기를 찾고 있지 않을까요? 대가든, 신인이든 말이죠.

“현재를 사는 것이 꿈”이라고 말했습니다. 이런 꿈을 가진 계기는 무엇이며, ‘지금 여기’에 집중하기 위해 어떤 노력을 기울이나요?

아트를 오래 접하고 음악도 오래 해오다 보니 결국 영원성으로 귀결되는 것 같아요. 그런데 어느 순간, 아이러니하게도 영원성에 가장 가깝게 가닿는 방법은 현재에 푹 잠식되는 것이라고 느꼈어요. 이 시대에는 특히나, 혹은 한국의 사회 환경 탓인지는 모르겠지만요. 우리의 정신적 시제가 늘 과거나 미래에 가 있잖아요. 후회하거나, 아쉬워하거나, 욕망하거나, 꿈꾸는 것들 모두 현재였고 현재일 것들인데, 정신이 계속 다른 시제에 가 있다 보면 지나갔거나 오지 않을 것들에만 집착하게 돼요. 하루에 딱히 어떤 성취감이나 달성한 느낌이 없더라도, 하루의 끝에 오늘 있었던 일을 상기하면서 ‘이렇게 많은 것을 하고, 많은 생각을 했구나’ 하고 달래줍니다. 그리고 좋은 일은 시작하기도 전에 아쉬워하거나, 아니면 나쁜 일을 두려워하거나 하는 것을 경계하려는 편이에요. 루틴이 무척 중요한 것 같아요. 요즘은 작업, 술, 전시, 운동, 산책… 이런 키워드를 기둥처럼 세워놓고 곁가지를 뻗어나가며 살고 있어요. 나쁘지 않습니다.

“워라밸을 중시하고 안 지켜지면 스트레스를 받는다”고 말했는데요. 아티스트로서 쉽지 않습니다. 당신이 생각하는 워라밸의 의미는 무엇인가요?

누차 말씀드리지만 예술도 결국 삶에서 나오는 자기 것이에요. ‘삶’과 ‘놂’이 병행돼야 멋진 창작물도 나올 수 있겠죠. ‘음악을 위한 음악’ ‘바이브를 위한 바이브’ 이런 것들에 잡아먹히면 안 되겠죠. 라이프가 선행되고, 그것이 워크를 만들어낼 수 있는 그런 균형감이라고 할까요. 늘 평균대 위에 있다고 생각하고 살아요. 그것을 즐기는 수밖에 없어요. 창작은 천형이나 형벌 같은 거니까요. 그래도 즐겁고, 이런 직업인으로 살 수 있어서 행운입니다.

요즘 김애란의 단편 ‘서른’의 문구를 자주 떠올려요. “그동안 나는 뭐가 변했을까, 그저 좀 씀씀이가 커지고, ��람을 믿지 못하고, 물건 보는 눈만 높아진, 시시한 어른이 돼버린 건 아닌가.” RM은 ‘더 나은 사람’이란 방향성을 반복해 자각할 거 같아요.

더 나은 사람이 되는 것은 패시브 스킬처럼 갖고 가는 삶의 총체적 키워드가 아닐까요. 늘 더 나은 사람이 되고 싶죠. 그런데 사랑한다는 말 자체보다 사랑의 내용이 훨씬 더 중요한 것처럼 먼저 ‘더 나은 사람’에 대한 정의를 갖고 있어야 한다고 봐요. 사람마다 다르겠죠? 말씀드린 것처럼 전 삶의 키워드를 적어놓고 균형 감각을 갖기 위해 노력하고, 또 모르는 것을 공부하고, 친구들과 열심히 놀고 주변 사람들도 챙기려 해요. 더 나은 사람이 된다는 것은 정말 어렵죠. 평생 해야 하는 거니까요. 그래서 그런 목표와 마음으로 오랫동안 살아온 사람을 볼 때 우아하다고 느끼는 것 같아요. 그들에겐 어떤 후광 같은 게 느껴지지 않나요. 그렇게 사는 사람이 많아진다면 좀 더 나은 세상이 되지 않을까요?

근래 안 해봤는데 해봐서 좋았던 일은 무엇인가요? 아니면 안 해봤지만 언젠가는 꼭 하고 싶은 일은요?

요즘은 새로운 사람들과 부딪치고, 친구가 되고, 또 작업도 해보고 있어요. 인간관계를 놓고 봤을 때 지난해 중반까지는 좁고 폐쇄적으로 살아오지 않았나 싶어요. 그런 자극이 힘들고 낯간지럽고 때로는 무겁기도 하지만, 무언가 제 안에서 조금씩 변하는 게 느껴져요. 제가 이 균형을 잘 잡으면 그것을 좋은 변화로 이끌 수 있겠죠? <보그> 커버도 제게는 큰 도전이자 새로운 체험이었어요. 기회를 주셔서 감사합니다. 건강하세요. (VK)

English translation

RM stays truthful to every moment

The joy of admiring beauty, the passion to humble oneself and learn, the determination to fight complacency: The essence of youth, the essence of RM.

As this is a written interview, I imagine that you’re answering these questions at your convenience. Could you tell the readers where you’re writing and what time it is? What do you see around you now?

I didn’t want to type my answers on my phone, so I waited until I could return to my studio and turn on my computer. It’s 10:30 p.m. on a Saturday, and I’m sitting on a chair in my studio, having worked out in the gym and worked on some songs. Looking around me, I notice a painting by Yun Hyong-keun that’s been decorating my wall for some time, and the studio equipment. I’m surrounded by familiar objects.

You’re scheduled to do a Vogue Korea cover shoot at the Korea Furniture Museum. Your fans expect you to take part in such photo ops for some sort of purpose beyond just producing nice pictures. What are you aiming for with the upcoming Vogue cover?

It’s actually my first time to appear on a cover all by myself. And the publication is Vogue, of all things! My fans are right to expect not just photos that are pleasing to the eye, but photos that express who I am, what I’m thinking, what I believe. There are so many other people who’d be more pleasant to look at on the cover than me. Since I’m doing this with Bottega Veneta, I also hope the brand’s philosophy will come through, but in a less obvious way.

An artist often suffers alone during the process of creation and expression, but some creative processes, like the upcoming photo shoot, can be very collaborative, involving many people. What are your rules on collaborating with others to achieve a certain artistic outcome?

I find myself meeting and working with a wide range of new people these days. This is quite refreshing and inspiring because I was used to working either alone or with just a few people. As for the rules … I’d say that I’m still working on them. The only rule I can think of now is to make sure that any stories about me convey my creative convictions, whatever the outlet may be. In order to convey these convictions, I believe I must consider my life from multiple viewpoints and live each day as fully as possible. I believe creativity comes from a commitment to life and a commitment to play. I try not to forget the fact that artistic creation is a job, just like any other.

You’ve exchanged comments on Instagram with Matthieu Blazy, Bottega Venetta’s creative director, with Blazy welcoming you to the brand family by posting pictures of your campaign. You responded that you were happy to join the effort. And you attended Bottega Venetta’s Fall/Winter 2023 fashion show in Milan this past February. Your all-black look was both Bottega Venetta and RM at the same time. You’ve spoken at length about music and art on many occasions, but you haven’t shared many of your thoughts about fashion. What does fashion mean to you?

I remember being quite impressed when I heard somewhere that “fashion is ideology.” This might sound like hyperbole, but I saw some truth in it. I’ve always thought of fashion as a statement of one’s attitude. You can’t walk around naked, can you? Fashion seems to give you an elegant and subtle tool for self-expression, but not in a way that forces others to consider and follow you. These days, though, I try not to read so much into anything, partly because I’ve learned that that kind of habit can eat away at me. Nevertheless, I still love fashion and see its importance. My own fashion has evolved over time, from street style to gothic, to American casual, to minimal.

You’re known for your love of fine art, especially works by Korean artists. You mentioned, in your last interview with Vogue, that “hanging a work of art at home is a spiritual experience.” Personally, I had my first intimate encounter with art at the Mark Rothko exhibit held at the Hangaram Art Museum in 2015. His red abstractions seemed to swallow me whole. I even heard a kid standing nearby say, “I want to paint colors like that.” Have you had a similar experience? A powerful first encounter with art?

Since our memories tend to edit themselves, I can’t vouch for the accuracy of mine, but I believe I had a moment like that while viewing paintings by Monet, van Gogh and Seurat at the Art Institute of Chicago. I think it was toward the end of 2018. I was on tour at the time, but I decided to use some free time to visit a museum that day. When I saw those famous paintings that I’d only seen in art textbooks or on the Internet, and actually felt their matières and presence, I knew I’d made the right choice. I have no artistic talent, so I couldn’t help but marvel, with my jaw on the floor, at the incredible colors and techniques of those master artists. For some reason, I was quite shaken by A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.

The exhibitions you visit and the works of art you photograph and post on your Instagram page have gone viral. This phenomenon probably puts pressure on you while also making you proud to be able to use your platform to introduce great works of art to the public. Are there any particular reasons you like to share the art you see at exhibits with the public?

I’ve spoken about this a few times elsewhere, but I think of an Instagram account — especially that of a public figure — as a channel of curation. It shows what the account holder is interested in, what they want to reveal and express about themselves. Yes, I do find my role as some kind of art influencer burdensome at times, but I post about these art shows and works in the hope that people who like me and follow me on social media will also get some enjoyment out of it. Especially so because I’d like members of the young generation, including myself, to take more interest in modern and contemporary Korean art as well as ancient art forms.

You seem to be more interested in paintings and crafts than in media or performance art. Why’s this?

Well, it seems to me that media and performance art is harder and takes more effort to appreciate. I think it’s important to view and experience art in the spaces where it’s meant to be shown, such as a museum. But it’s difficult for me to spend an hour or more watching a media show or some performance art at a certain venue. As I grow fonder of art, though, I expect I’ll develop more of an interest in those forms of art. I do find the works of Nam June Paik, Lee Seung-taek, Hito Steyerl and Bruce Nauman quite fascinating. I haven’t seen any performance art live yet. What I see on YouTube feels a bit weak to me. I enjoy going to art exhibits not just for the sake of art, but also as a pastime, for a change of surroundings. While viewing paintings and crafts, I love interpreting and analyzing the matières and the background stories. To be honest, paintings and crafts are prettier and more accessible, aren’t they? I think it’s hard to deny.

Your passion to learn and gain wisdom was on full display when you appeared on the Korean talk show The Dictionary of Useless Human Knowledge (Alsseulinjab). As people gain experience, and even attain a certain reputation or level of success in their line of work, they can become stubborn and stop listening to others. Being a global superstar like yourself can probably have that effect, too. So, it’s all the more refreshing and amazing to see you striving to stay open-minded and continuing to learn Why do you want to learn so much? What are you learning these days?

Likewise, I’m amazed by people who stay open-minded in their 50s, 60s or even 70s. Being bombarded with information as we are these days can make even a 30-year-old close-minded. I try to be aware of my shortcomings and weaknesses. I try to go beyond the initial sense of discomfort or prejudice that I might feel when encountering new things. As for my desire to gain knowledge, I think it’s only natural to want to learn and study throughout one’s life. There are so many things I hardly know anything about and find interesting. I do believe that I can become better and wiser by studying art history, aesthetics, architecture, world history, Korean history and other subjects. These days, I’m fascinated by photography and ancient art.

I like the song you worked on with So!YoON! for her most recent album. I also enjoy the tracks on your solo album featuring youjeen and parkjiyoon. As I listen to these songs, I can’t help but think that you’re limitless and free-spirited as an artist. What kind of musicians do you like to collaborate with?

I think I had standards in the past about whom I wanted to work with, but I’m not so sure anymore. In whatever I do, though, I tend to be drawn to people who are self-assured and who strive for something bigger at the same time, to people who have not just desire, but also the capability and talent to forge their own path. It’s probably through such people that I try to find my own story, whether they have well-established names or not.

You’ve said your dream is to live in the present. Where did this dream come from? What efforts do you make to focus on the here and now?

Now that I’ve been involved in music and art for some time, I keep thinking that all these efforts are attempts to exist in timelessness. At some point, though, you kind of realize that the ironic shortcut to eternity is to be fully immersed in the present. In this day and age — or maybe particularly in Korea — our minds tend to wander toward the past or the future. We regret, long for, desire and dream about things that are gone or that may never materialize even though we’re stuck in the present. I may pass a day without doing anything significant, but I try to tell myself at the end of the day that I’ve done so many little things and thought so many little thoughts. I also consciously try to avoid being either too excited about good things ahead or too afraid about bad things that might happen. It’s extremely important to set a routine and stick to it. These days, I maintain a routine based on a few keywords, such as work, drinking, art exhibits, working out and taking walks, adding a few more and subtracting others when necessary. It’s not so bad.

You’ve said that you value having a work-life balance, and that you get stressed out when that balance is upset. It’s not so easy for artists to maintain such a balance, is it? What does work-life balance mean to you?

I say this over and over again, but art ultimately comes from life. I believe I can create something awesome only by continuing to put living and playing at the forefront. I don’t want to pursue music for music’s sake, art for art’s sake, etc. Life always comes first, and that creates the balance needed to work fruitfully. I always think of myself as standing on a balance beam, and try to enjoy it as much as I can. Creating is like punishment. But I try to endure it with pleasure, counting myself lucky to have a creative job.

I try to become a better person. In her short story 30, Kim Ae-ran writes, “How have I changed thus far? I fear all I have managed to become is someone who spends a little more, someone who distrusts others, someone who is discerning only when it comes to the quality of the goods she is about to buy. I fear I have become a pathetic adult.” What would becoming a better person mean to someone like you?

I think trying to become a better person is a passive skill we all apply to our lives. We all want to become better people. But we do need our own definition of what a better person is, just like what love actually entails is much more important than the words ‘I love you,’ for example. I bet the answer differs from person to person. I’ve mentioned the keywords that I base my routine and life around. I try to stay focused on these keywords to remain balanced, continue learning, keep playing and interacting with friends, and be kind to those around me. It’s very difficult to become a better person, not least because it is a lifelong journey. That’s why I admire those who’ve lived a long time but still continue trying to better themselves. It’s almost as if I can see halos around their heads. If there were more people like that, wouldn’t the world be a better place?

Have you tried anything new recently and found yourself enjoying it? Is there anything you haven’t tried yet but want to try in the future?

These days, I’m constantly meeting new people, befriending them and starting to work with them. I think my social life was pretty limited until about the middle of last year. Getting to know new people can feel like a lot of work at times, making me feel embarrassed and even shy at times, but I do feel these new interactions are changing me. As long as I keep my equilibrium during all these new encounters, I think the results will be positive for both me and my audience. Becoming a solo cover model for Vogue is a huge new experience for me, too. I’m grateful for this opportunity. Stay healthy, everyone. (VK)

Source: Vogue Korea ENG: Vogue Korea

#2023 #bts #rm #vogue korea

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