I’m Korea American Interdisciplinary installation-based painter and I make self-portraits in 0.5 expressionism. One of the characteristics that can be attributed to the genre is the two conflicting aesthetics that are sometimes crudely forced together. The conflicting aesthetics are based on artistic influences from before and after coming to America and conflicting ideas between the two cultures. I reference toys, cartoons, religion, and the general aesthetic landscape of my childhood and notable influences from the American experience include pop art, graffiti, Basquiat, and academic art education. The main theme for my works started out as ethnic identity and my connection home and host culture and has since expanded to identity and connection in human experience.

Bio

Juyoung Ku is an interdisciplinary installation-based painter. Ku was born in Korea and grew up in the countryside of the Gyeonggi Province. He began his art education under his father whose art emphasized realism. He continued his art study at Skyline College and received Associates in Arts in 2018 and he studied Spatial arts at San Jose State University and received a BFA in 2020. Ku lives and works in San Francisco.

Since starting his academic art education, Ku’s work has been shown in many galleries and exhibitions. He received the G.O.A.T. award at Skyline College 19th annual juried exhibition (April 2017). He then collaborated with the city of Daly City in creating beautiful art in public places throughout the city and was recognized with a certificate from the city (October 2018). The following year, in 2019, he participated in several group exhibitions including the Skyline college Invitational Exhibition at Sanchez Art center and an exhibition at Gallery 3 at San Jose