Relationship

SunWoo An

I am interested in the nuances of interpersonal relationships. People meet one another and form a relationship. This relationship can evolve through a wide variety of circumstances. I may encounter a stranger on the street or through some small and random event and become friends. Or, they may remain a stranger to me forever. Relationships between friends, families, and acquaintances make us human. Every relationship has its own characteristics, challenges, and courage. 

My work is driven by all of the relationships of which I am part of. Being confident in myself and loving myself allow me to build a relationship and keep it. Painting is a way I investigate and try to solve the puzzles my personal relationships present. I believe painting is the most adaptable medium because I have control of the figure; I can make up the form or mix different figures, materials, and backgrounds. Just as people in my life may come and go, layers of oil paint on a canvas are applied and removed. I also use metals to explore the complexities of relationships. It is a very delicate and fragile process that has to be done step by step, just as a relationship grows and changes over time. 

Cycles of leaving and coming of the relationship happen around me like weather, and I am at the center of them. My body of work is about these processes, and the ever-changing dynamics of a relationship.

SUNWOO AN is a third-year senior visual artist at Interlochen Arts Academy. She is originally from Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. She primarily works with oil painting and metals. She received several awards in the 2015 and 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. She will be studying in UCLA majoring in Art this Fall.