Jinyoung Yu: the LIFE II

AUGUST 6th - SEPTEMBER 10th, 2022

Shoshana Wayne Gallery is pleased to present the LIFE II by Jinyoung Yu. This is the Korean artist’s first solo show with the gallery. the LIFE II will be on view from August 6th through September 10th, 2022, with an opening reception on August 6th from 2-5 pm.

Working with a cast of semi-transparent sculpted characters, Jinyoung Yu explores the disparity between the outer and inner self. Yu’s work acknowledges the anxiety of social situations and exposes implicit acts of cover-up one engages in when adhering to social conventions. This critique of social modes is developed using two opposing materials: vibrantly painted plaster and transparent PVC.

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The weight of the hardened façade of these figures is carried by their thin bodies, and some even appear to carry the weight of others. As the artist captures the many faces we have created for ourselves, she implores us to examine who we truly are. Behind the flamboyant exterior, outside of ever-present hierarchies and oppressive social structures, we may be left with a hollow shell conditioned to be invisible.

Jinyoung has dealt with immense social anxiety and avoided being the center of attention from a young age. Though she as an artist utilizes extroverted expression to convey narratives, her introverted nature manifests in the transparent bodies of her sculptures. The subtle, nearly impassive expressions on the masks relate to the artist’s childhood, where she had to quickly notice subtle differences in the facial expressions of her parents to avoid being berated.

The artist’s exploration of family dynamics and ego ultimately led her to delve into the insecurities and inequalities prevalent throughout society. She shifts her focus from the individual, to society, to the world, and reflects on our reality where no one can escape the weight of ‘life’. Jinyoung Yu exposes the dualities that exist within us all, urging viewers to look inward for a solution to break this cycle.

Jinyoung Yu was born in Seoul, South Korea, where she lives and works. Yu received an MFA and BFA in sculpture from Sungshin Women’s University, Seoul, South Korea. She has exhibited in museums and galleries internationally, including the Vestfossen Museum, Norway; the Seoul Museum of Art, South Korea; the Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT; Gyeongnam art museum, Gyeongnam, South Korea; and Woljeon Museum, Icheon, South Korea.

the LIFE II is in collaboration with CHOI&CHOI Gallery, Seoul, South Korea; and Cologne, Germany.