Youngjae Kim

MFA ’20 Printmaking

Youngjae Kim is from South Korea. He moved to America when he was fifteen years old. He graduated from the University of South Dakota with a BFA in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Printmaking. His work questions about being an immigrant in America. He is currently based in Greenville, North Carolina, pursuing an MFA in Printmaking at East Carolina University.

Amerikorean
“Amerikorean” is a project that utilizes imagery to elucidate the struggles of an immigrant from South Korea attempting to adjust and define a sense of identity in the United States. The image-making process represents an examination of American cultural, political, and social standards, and contains emotions, thoughts and humor to initiate and promote a productive discussion about the complex subject of immigration. This is a timely topic in the current American political climate. As an immigrant who struggles with communication, my intent is also to share with my viewers the emotional and social distress associated with communication barriers encountered daily through imagery, which is often easier than with words. The main purpose of this study is to define my dual identities as an immigrant: Korean and American, foreign and native, adjusted and never adjusting. The attempt is to provide a voice to all of those who, define themselves as foreign or an “other” in American society.

 

Amerikorean, 2020

installation view

 

Documentation of Immigrant Life, 2020

installation view

 

Documentation of Immigrant Life-이민자, 2020

photolithography
8×10 in

 

Documentation of Immigrant Life-이민자, 2020

photolithography
8×10 in

 

Documentation of Immigrant Life-이민자, 2020

photolithography
8×10 in

 

Documentation of Immigrant Life-이민자, 2020

photolithography
8×10 in

 

Documentation of Immigrant Life, 2020

presentation package

 

Invasive Species series, 2020

installation view

 

Invasive Species-Asian Carp, 2020

lithography
15×22 in

 

Invasive Species-Korean Chipmunk, 2020

lithography
15×22 in

 

Invasive Species-Kudzu, 2020

lithography
15×22 in

 

Invasive Species-Snakehead Fish, 2020

lithography
15×22 in

 

Ncessites of Life series, 2020

installation view

 

Necessities of Life-Clothing, 2020

lithography
22×30 in

 

Necessities of Life-Food, 2020

lithography
22×30 in

 

Necessities of Life-Shelter, 2020

lithography
22×30 in

 

Seven Deadly Sins series, 2020

installation view

 

Seven Deadly Sins-Envy, 2019

lithography
15×22 in

 

Seven Deadly Sins-Gluttony, 2019

lithography
15×22 in

 

Seven Deadly Sins-Greed, 2019

lithography
15×22 in

 

Seven Deadly Sins-Lust, 2019

lithography
15×22 in

 

Seven Deadly Sins-Pride, 2019

lithography
15×22 in

 

Seven Deadly Sins-Sloth, 2019

lithography
15×15 in

 

Seven Deadly Sins-Wrath, 2019

lithography
15×22 in

 

Ultimate Printmaking, 2020

commercial inkjet reproduction of drawing
8×24 ft

 

Ultimate Printmaking, 2020

commercial inkjet reproduction of drawing
8×24 ft

 

Ultimate Printmaking, 2020

commercial inkjet reproduction of drawing
8×24 ft

 

Ultimate Printmaking, 2020

commercial inkjet reproduction of drawing
8×24 ft

 

Thesis Committee

Matt Egan, MFA
Heather Muise, MFA
Beth Blake, MFA
Mi-Sook Hur, MFA
Catherine Walker-Bailey, MFA

 


Instagram