Artist Cui Xian-ji finds his identity through art 최헌기 아티스트

No matter who you are and where you′re born, it′s always important to know and understand your own identity, and artists are no exception. Our Yim Yoonhee takes a look at one artist who has done just that and more through his art, and he′s recently opened a large solo exhibition at the Sungkok Art Museum. For most in this world, white is white, and black is black. There may be different points of view, but the universal standards, the silent restrains linger, quietly, in the background, on the floor, all around us. But for some in this world, those standards are just mere suggestions. Artist Cui Xian Ji is one of those individuals. Born and raised in China, but of Korean descent, Cui encountered a very successful career first in China and then in Korea. He′s a painter, but he′s also a sculptor and an installation artist,... his works embodying elements of both Asian and Western influence,... but most strikingly, almost like a self portrait, they reveal glimpses into his identity as an artist. INTERVIEW "When I was young, I was in Baekdusan Mountain in North Korea, and everything I saw was white as snow. It was so pure. I wanted to return to that moment, so I started making these artworks and, interestingly, they started revealing my background. Through my art, I found my Korean identity." Cui′s heart beats to a different rhythm. He refuses the ideas written out by other figures in this world, figures who captured the attention of millions of others. Instead, for this artist, it′s important to maintain a pure and steady heart,... so that he can remove previous notions and customize his world. Like the Mona Lisa,... a figure believed to be the image of beauty in the mainstream world,... but for Cui, it′s a chance to challenge the idea and create something new. And while numbers were once believed to be non-negotiable, for Cui they′re yet another opportunity for finding his own identity as an artist and as an individual. INTERVIEW "I wrote Korean Hanja for 10 years, but there came a point when the letters started resembling sperm. I realized that instead of thinking and planning, I create and look back later. That′s my process, and it also became my philosophy,... to follow my primal instinct. Now, it′s something I apply to other things as well, to preserve that original purity. I made this with silicone, and then silicone became an object of interest, along with other aspects of my art,... allowing me to find my creativity and go against the grain of tradition." Distinct scribbles, stark color contrasts, and a bit of the abstract, Cui has succeeded in creating his own identity. He′s left his mark on this world,... inspiring others to want to do the same, but of course, in their own unique way. Yim Yoon-hee, Arirang News.