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Artist Cindy Jung's Criticism: Focusing on Recent Works

 

The meaning of existence that ignites in silence

_Things that are manifested in the ground of existence.

 

By Hong Kyung-han (Art Critic)

 

A piece of love named longing

 

‘longing’ means yearning and regret for absence, and a strong desire or yearning for something or someone that is lost or unattainable.

It is a sorrowful emotion that instills sadness and despair and refluxes memories.

But longing is only a piece of love.

Fragments of love gather to create the size of longing. As much as the size, the place of the person who embraces longing also increases. In the end, without love, there is no longing.

There is an article I often quote in this regard. It is 『Beautiful Shade』(1995) by Shin Kyung-sook. she wrote in this essay: “People persistently don’t forget that love lives hidden inside us. Whether it was a child, adolescence, or adulthood, the name that passed through the deepest part of existence was love.”

Some of the series titles in the work of artist Cindy Jung are "Love."

The series consists of paintings with vibrant colors and lines representing the undulating movements within the body, along with bright and shining human figures standing under mysterious geometric backgrounds, reminiscent of religious imagery.

In this work, the feeling of love is far from delight.

The severance of a shared experience is unfamiliar, and it is full of lingering feelings when you realize that the name out of reach is love.

Contrary to the appearance where silence and dynamism intersect, it conveys the feeling that there is nothing to do but endure endless time in sadness, dealing with the regret that comes in at the moment when it is similarly relaxed.

Artists each find their own way to forget themselves and carve the names they couldn't quite call into something. Death is the same. In reality, death is a bitter agony and an end, but it is only when it reaches a medium through artists that it truly facesdeath. The fact that death dies means resurrection and entering everlasting rest.

Cindy Jung's <MISS> work, which She worked on from 2019 to last year, was also the same. This series, which had continued since 2016, was “a work containing the energy that is transmitted to me while crossing the conscious and unconscious world through meditation.” “While working, I fall into deeper meditation, and the energy of from the artist's notesthe chakra that arises at that time is drawn on the canvas.”

The source of her meditation is related to her quiet personality.

And it is also not unrelated to her aesthetic attitude, which has explored consciousness of existence.

However, her works are also the result of the personal pain, illness, and healing fragments associated with her father's death which are meticulously ingrained.

In other words, vivid works that are red or blue in color depict the emotions and memories shared with a father who is no longer present.

And through meditations that maximize mental inwardness, one can glimpse into stillness and another world, as well as find peace.

In particular, in her recent works, the memories of facing the past and painful absences in recent years, the process of getting frustrated or standing up, and

accepting letting go with a firm mind fluctuate more intensely than ever before.

It is also noteworthy that it is the result of tranquility and silence to convey true peace while being freed from physical pain.
 

Chakra, contains the cosmic view of time.
 

The result of stillness and equanimity comes from an ontological perspective.

The original form frequently appearing in the <MISS> series produced from 2019 to 2022 possesses a time perspective with a contemplative attitude and a cosmic vision.

It embodies a circular nature of "on (圓) circulation," seen in Asian Sexagenary cycle, Buddhist theory of reincarnation, and Mandala, which is homogenous and linear that does not possess irreversibility in the Western sense that cannot go back to the past.

Geometric shapes that are systematically arranged in the background of her paintings indicate a transcendent space with a certain spirituality for the artist's aspirations and desires. Among them, the subtly emerging geometric patterns seem to be hidden, showcasing the manifestation of human desires and the constraints of complex human psychology.

The sensual world emanating from vivid and vibrant hues can also be seen as a representation that addresses the problem of existence intertwined with idealism and freedom.

In this way, to him, existence is a key concept that makes absence more evident, but allows existence to be existence.

It is correct that the core of the <MISS> series has also placed meaning on the value same text of existence that exists within the artist.

Ultimately, it comes into contact with the problem of self, and the karma that floating inside her work is an irresistible karma, apocalyptic world centered on 'I'. But it wasn't like that from the beginning. Existence in 2016 scatters light like an explosion. Sometimes on the tree and the vase, concrete and sometimes abstract figures bloom like flames. Even character portraits appear at this time.

However, in recent years, concrete forms have been castrated and transformed into complete abstractions. In other words, it is a transition from 'viewing' to 'reading'.

The transition to reading makes the existentiality stand out even more. As the artist said, “For everyone, whether they recognize it or not, there is another universe that I exist in.”

And inside the universe, the meaning of peace and true love, which is equivalent to the calm in the sea, the order of the world and the absurdity that goes against it, injustice, pain, and fear are complex and clearly permeated.

Death and solitude, which had the greatest impact on the artist's life, cannot be left out.

The death and life that we experience every day are like shapes that stand sharp and steady with a self-healing appearance.

In that respect, the works characterized by expandability of space endure(bear) the weight of her pain, and at the same time, show generosity towards her own and others' suffering. This is an act of sharing the weight of life to relieve the burden of others and wish for the happiness of the other person.

In her works, one can find an inner interaction towards the effort to find true peace within the calmness and enlightenment. Broadly speaking, it does not go

beyond the framework of being an image recording herself and reflecting her life.

On the one hand, it also touches on the problem of existence through encounters with objects created by longing and love, encompassing(Include) the past and the present.

In particular, artist Cindy Jung's 2022 works are not a feast of images tailored to the eyes of others, but an accurate coined word to convey a story that is hidden close to the heart.

In fact, the artist has said that, as in the past and today, the value of art is not defined as an ancillary value that includes various pictorial elements, including form,

but rather wants to replace it with a channel that leads to the essence.Another aspect that I sense in her work is another form of communication that is

closely linked to the content that the artist is pursuing.
 

Another universe in which I exist.
 

For her, communication is not a coercive command. It is not just a concept of communication based on reality, but rather a transcendent path that has a sacred

space that incorporates a personal myth, a metaphorical space with abstract forms and narratives. As a result, it can be confirmed that the ‘Kabbalah’

, in which she has recently become interested, is not a coincidence.

She uses this kind of communication and presence as a narration accompanied by low breathing scattered throughout her work, showing the aspect that the peace in the stillness and the utterance of silence are further amplified by causing a chemical reaction.

(As previously mentioned) She obtains the expression of silence through meditation

.

It cannot be precisely identified from a material or psychiatric perspective. It refers to the core of the human mind. Despite being abstract and enveloped in several layers,

it can be said to be 'manifested' as it originates from the concept of coexisting with what exists on the basis of existence.

The artist finds the beginning of the manifestation in the ‘Root Chakra’, the first of the seven chakras. In terms of formative elements, it is focused on the 'perfect world' or 'circle with healing power', but the artist describes it as one of the seven chakras of the yoga tradition.

She describes it as "the awakening of the invisible energy centre within our body".

She adds: "Of the seven chakras, five (root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat) are physical and two (third eye, crown chakra) are in the spiritual realm.

Whether it is designated as a chakra or summarized as the role and meaning of a The dictionary definition of Cabala is to view 'God' (神) not as an object of worship, but as a subject of recognition, and to mean to directly approach or serve that 'God' in sight.

"When I deeply immerse myself in meditation, all of my intentions become meaningless and I reach endless tranquility. At that moment, I encounter numerous souls and discover the self that simply allows things to be within them. Pain, suffering, sadness, happiness, and joy... I capture all emotions within and seek peace. Then, energy is released." -CindyJung

According to her, when the chakras are smoothly circulating, healthy meditation is possible and positive energy is emitted. In addition, methods for balancing the chakras include training the physical chakras in the body, excluding the chakra of the third eye which is developed through spiritual training and is both a fundamental state of humans and a theme of the universe, through physical exercise, and refining it through healing abilities such as Reiki and meditation.specific sphere, in the author's view, it is a way of self-awareness. It is a process of perceiving one's own situation more deeply by practicing mindfulness and paying attention to one's own thoughts and emotions.

Among them, Meditation creates a new dimension by connecting conscious and unconscious, reality and hyper-reality, two or multi-dimensions in the midst. This is the essence of CindyJung's art.

As I looked through her portfolio, I suddenly realised that for her, meditation represented the yungwon-gu-jok (輪圓具足), the wheel of eternal time made up of spokes that converge on the circumference of the wheel.

This symbolises the essence of human life and relationships, with each individual spoke coming together to form the round wheel. At the same time, it's a device that helps to find a way to forget oneself and to walk towards a world that may exist beyond our universe.

It can be seen as an act of releasing emotional tension when witnessing the process of being cared for by the power that keeps me in existence and struggling

to dismantle inner desires.

Especially, the meditation practices carried out in spiritual traditions assist with purification and serve as her own ritual for conversing with those who have

traveled through time.

In other words, the meditation that is particularly strong in her most recent work is the artist's firm intention to give eternity to souls that have already left this

world. Everything that exists in her memory is reconstructed in a work and culminates in a special existence.

 

Peace in stillness, ignition of silence

 

CindyJung's work is imbued with a sense of peace. The artist's own mythological elements, such as the spirituality and physicality of man, the spatiality of the universe, creation, extinction and the unknown, are in full bloom in each work.

Peace, which is the main axis among them, comes from seriousness, and seriousness comes from sincerity. Sincerity is ignited by truth. Conversely, truth is

the form of peace.

From an ontological perspective, truth is contained within being itself. It is in this moment that a transcendent God, beyond empirical evidence, resides. Meditation is the point of contact where one encounters this God.Artist Cindy Jung stands at that point every day. For her, art itself is a medium

through which she can directly interact with the principles of the world and certain beings. It is also a stage where love and peace can be solidified and

shared. And the various images in her paintings are evidence of her belief in the health of sharing, a passage through which existence can approach the existence(s) that are no longer visible, and complex symbols that can be shared. Of course, it is clear that she is a very faithful medium that allows her to reflect on her existence as a passage and mirror to face her inner self.

What is interesting is the ‘sharing’ of ‘goodness’. This refers to the spreading of good will, which has a small but powerful ripple effect. Good will is characterized by an attitude that seeks to convey trust rather than distrust, understanding rather than

being understood, hope rather than loss, joy rather than sadness, anticipation rather than despair, and happiness rather than pain.

In this attitude there is healing for people who have been insecure in the relationship between human pain and wandering, evil and good, and gods and

creatures who have existed without distinction of age. It also includes the imperfect circumstances and people that are becoming more and more severe and

disconnected, and the inexorable time of life and death.

The essence of her work lies in the sculptural or aesthetic elements and the meditation itself through the chakras. Therefore, it is necessary to examine aspects that are not visible or do not appear in addition to what is visible in her various works.

One should be able to discern the calm and peaceful layers of unique expression hidden in her work, the strange shadows that loom in her sculptures, the facets of physical pain and triumph over life, and our own insatiable desires on the other side.

Until 2014, under the theme of "DREAM-STORY", she focused on the dream-like beings within her that longed for "freedom and life" and "life and freedom". Now her work has become a meditative practice and conveys a true sense of serenity

to the viewer. It encourages universal contemplation beyond the individual and allows for a more direct approach than her previous work.

Through painting, the artist emphasizes that art is merely the expression of one's gaze from within oneself, the experience that has helped one to sustain oneself, and one's unconsciousness.

It means that the 'world outside reality', 'time outside time', and 'space outsidespace' exist with her. However, it is not easy to grasp because it is not regulated by language.

The subject cannot be mentioned by the word ‘exposure’ alone. Therefore, the imagination is strengthened and the scope of reasoning is expanded.

Her recent works are emotions felt from life and existence, the pain and despair sowed and scattered in life and death. Nevertheless, it can be said that they are a culmination of perspectives and mindsets that strive to collect and distribute love, hope, happiness, etc. within them.

As if craving a new or unfilled deficiency, 'anxiety of destruction' about what one believes to be filled, 'human desire' to wish for continuity, and 'questions about existence' to be completed as others are also deeply imbued.

What is interesting is that the years 2014 and 2016 are different, and the differences between the works of 2017 and 2023 are clear. Changes are visible, and compared to the past, the current work is much more qualitatively concentrated. As if in step with it, you can feel the constant flow of not stopping your steps wherever you are standing.

Moreover, in recent works that lead to somewhere by lumping in one direction, not only the vision but also the author's perspective can be detected in the presence dimension, not the dimension of existence and non-existence, clearly revealing the scope of comprehension. This is also the point that we need to pay attention to when we encounter her works.

Knowing one's existence, even when the weight of life becomes heavy and the moment comes to let go of everything, means that today we are still holding a

steady compass and walking.

On the other hand, Cindy Jung's work is a tool to prove that her reason for existence is the reason for art's existence, and that the existence of art is her own.

Essentially, the question of the meaning of existence asks what makes life worth living, and what our purpose in the world is. And the meaning of existence is

something we create for ourselves.

Some may view our existence as part of a sacred plan in their religious beliefs, while others may hold a more secular belief in the concept of a universal purpose or goal to which we all aspire. But the belief in deepening our understanding of ourselves and the world around us remains the same, as in the advice contained in Cindy Jung's work.

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