Have you ever met a person who had the shape of a dragon drawn all over the body at a public bath? If so, how did you feel, then? Most people are overcome with fright. A tattoo is a work ,which makes a wound to the skin or the subcutaneous tissues to dye and carve letters, pictures and figures, etc. Tattoos are still perceived negatively socially and are not legal. Such a tattoo gets in an gallery as lending the name 'Visual art'.
Kim Joon , an artist , said, "I was interested in the body at first, but I conducted a study of tattoos in psychoanalysis, anthropology and sociology, then I was fascinated by pictures on the body. As substituting this, I hold an exhibition about the forms of tattoos. He called a graphic the middle form between a picture and a photograph and worked by using 3D. The pictures and images of tattoo which he works on look that he takes a nude photo and compounds with them, but he works on the upside of the digital body produced by computer graphics from the beginning to the end. He makes a large group of people by making a phase and coating a tattoo with his computer mouse, like a virtual person produced by computer. He intends to use 'mouse ainting' instead of 'brush painting'. It is unique to use a 'One Source, Multi Use', which is a source made of digital data outputs through a digital print, beam projection, a monitor, and so on.
He inscribes various icons symbolizing sports, fashion, power, consumer culture through the curves of the human body on a large group of people without face. He describes thisas a social tattoo. He inscribes power politics and monopoly capital such as Sam-sung , Uri party or brands of multinational companies such as Gucci and Starbucks, sa well as tattoos of agricultural cooperations on the farmer's skin which underwear's mark clearly remains. He deals with 'the problem of alienation in groups' that can not help varying identity according to each group position by strictly contrasting tattoo's images in each class.
Specific goods or images of goods visualized effects, 'tattooress', which is inscribed strongly without physical stimulation on the body as a form inquiring into the body, and keeping characteristic colors and quality. Works that inscribe famous brand through tattoos seem to put clothes composed of tattoos on, expressing power and capital that penetrates an individual in consumer society by showing an image ,which matiere with matter of work is emblematized on the body. In the end, we can see that various designs make an inroad into the body. Not only university students but also pupils in middle or high school, and even schoolboy in elementary school is consuming luxury goods. People can know that the work is reflected in actuality changing to consumer society. So, we can review our daily life as a consumers.
'Bubble', operations with a reflection, repeats what bubble comes and disappears from the body discloses the cruelty of social equipment controling the system with image such as foam or tumor. 'Bubble' works with 3D animation are that hand or leg putting the width repeats to float in the air by the bubble and to fall as the bubble breaks. This shows the body as material existence through image of cruel violence and ruthlessness giving on the body.
In particular, there is a 'tattoo shop' under ground. Mr. Kim uses this space to connect with people related to tattoo in real life. He shows the tattoos that have a shaded character to sunshine which means that he makes a challenge against social bias. There is significance in behaviorism of art practice intervening in art about a social phenomenon as a strong message which resists to social taboo.
The exhibition displays tattoos as transformed art products and analyzes this in a new way as a social phenomenon.
By Ko Hyun-sun
Culture reporter