Mimi Youn

Statement

Mimi Youn studied photography in the Sang Myung University and Media in the University College London. She employs photographs as a tool to explore the relationships between time, memory and spaces.

She has been interested in materiality of photograph and she creates distorted, erased and modified memory using photographs that she has collected. Moreover, she usually folds repeatedly photographs based on paper to make object as material and to show the weakness of structure like memory and then to take pictures again the objects. The object is shown as unexpected shape by lower f-stop and different angle.

Mimi Youn is interested in vintage photographs made by 19c and early 20c in Korea. The photos provide historical information about the times, but it is hard to read individual stories behind it.

In her previous work “Here is where we meet” has been expanded in several ways. Mimi invited people to donate photographs to her in order to use them in her project. She folded and overlapped these photographs together with her own to form a shape, which she then photographed again to create the final print. The artist’s aim was to recreate new shapes of memory, time and space using the donated photographs together with hers. Much stronger emotional meaning was conveyed to these people through their photographs and the stories behind them. Mimi feels that this meaning has not been limited to their individual stories but has been also expanded through their shared story.

GlogauAIR Project

The project at GlogauAIR will be an extension or part of my current work, since I am still fascinated by old photographs.

I am interested in reinterpreting and reconstructing old photographs in various ways beyond the shown images. The reason why I am focused on it is because I came across with images of Korean war in 1950’s among my family photographs.  I am a firmer believer that someone’s personal  life can not be divorced from history of ages.  So, my ultimate goal is not only to make new visual images, but also to find historical meaning throughout my work.

During the residency period, I would like to collect old vintage photographs and postcards from Berlin of the time of Germany’s separation. The city of Berlin presents strong similarities with the history of Korea. The city was divided into East and West like Korea was broken into North and South.

I will collect and research photos and postcards in Flea markets, images in media kind of newspapers and magazines, people’s stories and historical spaces.  Moreover, I will try to reconstruct images and stories based on historical study, inspiration and imagination through the research. The project will include photographs, collages, drawing and artist book. My aim through this project is  an extension of time, space and memories from the past and to look beyond what we see and experience.

Furthermore, in my every day practice, I want to make drawing and photos everyday, since I am influenced by surroundings. Therefore, living and working in foreign countries is exciting and challenging at the same time. I am usually afraid to meet new people in strange places and to find objects which I never seen. To overcome my fear and anxiety, I would like to take photos and make drawings with color from objects which are scaring to me. In this way, I will develop my imagination and I will visualize new images in my mind.

CV Summary

EDUCATION

• 2018-Present, Multiple Art & Technology, Sung Shin women’s University, Korea, DFA
• 2006-08 Media, Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, UK, MFA
• 2001-05 Department of Photography, Sang Myung University, Korea, BA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

• 2013 MEMEWEWE, Seongsujang, Seoul, Korea
• 2010 Mememimi, Zoe Bingham Fine art, London, UK
• 2009 Beyond Photography, Uno art space, Stuttgart, Germany

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

• 2018 About Media, Chung Gang Museum, Chung Gang University
• 2017 A gaze on Parallel Lives, Korean cultural Centre, Budapest, Hungary
• 2017 Rencontre de la jeune photographie internationale de Niort, CACP, Niort, France
• 2014 Time and Space, 291 Gallery, Ulan Bator, Mongolia
• 2014 Ma move, space Mo, Seoul, South Korea
• 2013 One of a kind, Rayko photo centre, San Francisco, USA
• 2013 I=EYE, KIMI ART, Seoul, Korea
• 2013 P.O.V.: Alternative Perspectives in Asian Contemporary Photography, Gallery Steph, Singapore
• 2011 Depaysment, Dr park gallery, Yangpung, Korea
• 2011 Review, Seoul photo festival, Seoul museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
• 2011 Instant connections, Panopticon Gallery, Boston, USA
• 2009 International Discoveries Ⅱ, Fotofest, Houston, USA
• 2009 Vision-Aussicht aufs Leben, DTDF, Germany
• 2008 Trace, Tactile Bosch, Cardiff, UK
• 2007 Turtle, Image/Text/Music, Woburn Research Centre, London, UK
• 2005 Pop up image, Gong Photographs studio, Heyry, Paju, Korea

GRANTS & ARTIST RESIDENCE PROGRAMMES

• 04.2017 Rencontre de la jeune photographie internationale de Niort, CACP, Niort, France
• 09.2014 Nomadic artist residence programme, Art council Korea
• 03.2010 Young emerging artist, Fotofest, Houston, USA
• 03.2009 ~12.2009 Cite International des arts, Paris, France

Gallery