Kyung Ji Yeon
Artist Kyung Ji Yeon – "Map of the Fantasy" Exhibition
The paintings of artist Kyung Ji Yeon are similarly shaped by a desire to reach or experience certain places. The translucent, melting colors in her work vividly express her emotional longing for these locations. Like sweet, sticky jelly, these colors cling to real maps, overlaying natural landscapes with a new filter—a fantasy created from the artist’s desires. Instead of faithfully reproducing real places, the artist rearranges them through her own vision, transforming them into another world of fantasy, embarking on a new journey with every brushstroke
"I recall an old memory. During my college days, while on a backpacking trip, my plane circled near Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Airport, lowering its altitude just before landing. The view of Rome from above, as seen through my eyes, felt like riding a 'magic carpet' following the plane’s graceful turns. I remember feeling the thrill of heading toward an unfamiliar city that would welcome a foreign traveler like me, filled with anticipation.
Much later, at a time when I felt bound and trapped by harsh reality, I came across Google Earth by chance, which inspired my new work. Wandering around the world through it, revisiting places I’ve been and places I want to go, is like riding a 'magic carpet.' The satellite map isn’t a tool for pinpointing destinations of real trips but serves as a pictorial map revealing destinations of the heart, objectifying unfulfilled desires. These maps reflect the world, or fantasies, I wish to share." - Kyung Ji Yeon
Map of the Fantasy
Map Of the Fantasy by Kyung Ji Yeon
Kyung Ji Yeon’s works are new maps, layering the artist's imagination over the factual information of Google Earth. These landscapes, drawn with intentional omissions and exaggerations at the artist's fingertips, transport her, sitting in her studio, to various places around the world like a magical carpet.
Artist Kyung Ji Yeon, who earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Chung-Ang University’s Department of Painting, has been expanding her artistic world through numerous exhibitions since 2002. Her canvases, filled with fluid lines, are visual representations of the artist’s inner desires and those of humanity. Her works are currently held in collections at places like the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, IBK, POSCO, and others.
