Monday, April 30, 2018

Jiu Jang


Photo Courtesy Of Oma Space

WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW AND HAVE YOU ALWAYS LIVED THERE?
I am in Seoul. I lived in London in the past.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED?
Seoul.

WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CITY OR HOMETOWN?
Oriental medicine, underfloor heating system, and fermented food.

WHAT WERE YOUR ASPIRATIONS GROWING UP?
To elevate my spirit.

WHY ART AND DESIGN?
To deal with beauty everyday, to work with makers in different countries, to explore traditional processes and to bring them in contemporary forms, and then finally to help others to elevate their spirit through what we create.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND TRAINING?
I did not go to school when I was a kid and teenager which is quite unusual for a young Korean. I travelled and I learn interesting things by myself. Later I went to study in textiles design at Sanmyung University in Seoul and at London College of Fashion. Then I worked in London with Michiko Koshino and then two years with Alexander McQueen. After that it was time for me to do my own thing with Oma Space.

WHY TEXTILE (MOSTLY)?
It’s so much part of our life. We live and dress with textiles everyday. It is part of our environment, it is our second skin. With my design pieces I try to create some spirited presence, with my garments I try to dress the soul.

WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FROM CONCEPT TO CREATION?
There are many natural processes to bring ideas to life. Drawing, searching, experimenting, weaving, dyeing, felting, cutting, assembling, sowing. It’s a long involvement with mind, eyes, and hands. We handcraft. We take time and by the end we have something precious and unique.

WHO OR WHAT HAS HAD THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR?
Nature.

YOU NOW WORK AS A DUO WITH DANIEL KAPELIAN, HOW DOES THIS COLLABORATION IMPACT YOUR VISION?
First we have fun being a duet. We manage Oma Space together. We share the art direction and Daniel takes care of the business side while I concentrate on design and creation. Daniel also designs the sound of the studio and the exhibitions. It is a mutual feed with ideas, experiences, travels, encounters.

HOW DOES YOU AESTHETIC INFLUENCE OTHER AREAS IN YOUR LIFE?
Aesthetic can impact your thoughts, your beliefs, and your attitude toward life. It is about sorting things in a very subjective way to avoid to be polluted by the ambient ugliness, rampant mediocrity, bad vibes and bad noise and parasites. So aesthetic influence your behavior. To make it short, we prefer silence than blah blah blah...

WHAT DO YOU GET UP WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING?
Yoga. Meditation. Learning. Cooking. Traveling. Playing music. Loving.Doing absolutely nothing...

HOW DO YOU STAY MINDFUL?
Being blank, aware and awaken.

No comments:

Post a Comment