Julia Kwon has earned her M.F.A. at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University and B.A. in Studio Art at Georgetown University. She has won awards such as SMFA’s Traveling Fellowship as well as artist residencies at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Vermont Studio Center, Chautauqua School of Art, NARS Foundation, and Textile Arts Center. Her recent work Unapologetically Asian is created to bring awareness to the rise of anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information, please see: http://www.juliakwon.com and on Instagram @artistjuliakwon.
Julia Kwon, Unapologetically Asian, 2020. Korean silk, cotton canvas, muslin, thread, and elastics, 5” x 12” each. Image courtesy of the artist.
First, and most importantly, how are you doing? How are you navigating the highs and lows?
I don’t think it’s possible to carry on as usual when there is so much happening personally, nationally, and internationally due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests, and police brutality. I have been creating art that feels most urgent at this moment and have been staying engaged, fundraising and donating to various Black Lives Matter endeavors and organizations as much as I can.
Julia Kwon, Unapologetically Asian, 2020. Korean silk, cotton canvas, muslin, thread, and elastics, 5” x 12”. Image courtesy of the artist.
It would be great if you could briefly talk us through your practice. Understanding it is integral to appreciating the multivalence of your work.
I sew traditional and hybrid Korean textiles in the format of Korean object-wrapping cloth and, currently, in the format of face masks. I aim to challenge preexisting notions of what it means to be Korean and feminine as well as to examine the complexities of constructing identity within the contemporary context of globalism and cultural hybridity. I also explore community and personal relationship building through collaborative projects such as communal quilting, one-on-one portrait drawing, and building a community that shares local artist talks.
Julia Kwon, The Blanket Statements You Use on Me and Every Other Yellow Woman, 2019. Satin, thread, and wire. 2.75' x 14' x 14'. Image courtesy of the artist.
Julia Kwon, Yellow Womanhood (installation), 2019. Silk, satin, thread, wire and wood. Various sizes. Image courtesy of the artist.
Has any of your imagery shifted in a reflection to what's currently happening? And why, or why not?
Art-making allows me to connect with others and to be deeply present within the current moment. I am considering what I can contribute and how I can acknowledge this difficult time. The project Unapologetically Asianis created in response to the rise in coronavirus-related racism against Asian Americans. I create vibrant Korean patchwork face masks to unapologetically celebrate my ethnic identity and confront coronavirus-related racism prevalent today. Supporters of my project also become active participants as they wear the masks in solidarity, discuss the project with others, and bring awareness to the experiences of Asian people. I hope that sharing my experiences as an Asian American woman will help position us to have a more sweeping conversation on systemic inequality and oppression that affects all marginalized communities.
Julia Kwon, Unapologetically Asian, 2020. Korean silk, cotton canvas, muslin, thread, and elastics, 5” x 12”. Image courtesy of the artist.
Are you reading anything?
I am currently reading “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander and rereading “9.5 Theses on Art and Class” by Ben Davis. I also can’t wait to read a bunch of other books that I recently ordered, including “Whatever Clarity is Necessary” by Shanita Bigelow, “Dear America: Reflections on Race,” “How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America” by Kiese Laymon, and “Second Skin: Josephine Baker & the Modern Surface” by Anne Anlin Cheng.
Julia Kwon, Unapologetically Asian, 2020. Korean silk, cotton canvas, muslin, thread, and elastics, 5” x 12”. Image courtesy of the artist.
What is bringing you solace, or even joy, in this moment?
I am grateful for all the amazing people who genuinely support me and my work. It is also great to see so many artists and cultural workers organize to support the Black Lives Matter movement as well as to see them share their own experiences of systemic oppression within the art world. I am deeply inspired by so many activists and their thoughtful reflections on ways we can care for one another and rebuild a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
Julia Kwon, Unapologetically Asian, 2020. Image courtesy of the artist.