Younguk Yi’s Journey Through Repetition, Fragmentation, & The Modern Human Condition
orean artist Younguk Yi is recognized for his precise, almost digital, paintings, which balance abstraction with hyperrealism. His fragmented figures, overlapping and unfolding across the canvas, offer a deep exploration of the form. Over the years, Yi’s works have evolved, embracing new concepts while maintaining a singular theme: repetition. The artist uses this motif to question representation, materiality, and existence in today’s world. His unique approach, inspired by his surroundings and experiences, challenges conventional narratives and reflects broader concerns about the human condition in a rapidly advancing modern landscape.
Yi’s work delves into the dimensions of repetition, where figures are deconstructed and reassembled in fragmented ways. The repetition and arrangement of figures create a sense of transformation, encouraging the viewer to reconsider how we perceive the subjects. These elements function as a means of reconstructing and amplifying the form, revealing its presence in a heightened and dramatic way.
Yi’s work recalls several artistic movements, perhaps most notably, the cubist works of Marcel Duchamp. He was drawn to Duchamp’s “Nude Descending a Staircase” during his university years, a series of overlapping and fragmented planes, simulating movement. Yi’s examination of the human condition, akin to Duchamp’s, challenges the viewer to reconsider how the figure is represented in art. Yi’s approach to repetition, however, differs from these historical precedents by using figurative elements rather than geometric shapes.
Yi’s paintings, despite their hyper-realistic style, never allow the viewer to fully construct the forms in their mind. His figures are distorted—whether human or animal, their identities are lost in the disjointed assembly. One of his paintings, for instance, depicts a portrait of a friend touching his nose, an unconscious gesture that the artist captures in an abstracted manner. Yi explains, “My work does not construct grand narratives; it frequently incorporates fragments of real-life interactions. I am less interested in illustrating monumental events and more drawn to capturing psychologically charged, seemingly insignificant moments.” Yi’s focus on trivial moments gives the viewer a glimpse into the hidden anxiety and discomfort embedded in everyday actions. As Yi notes, “I am fascinated by the narratives that are quietly disappearing in contemporary society. I look for ways to express this through the framework of my environment and lived experiences.”
TO LIVE AS AN ARTIST IS TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD THROUGH A LENS OF SENSITIVITY AND CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT.”
In addition to the visual impact of his work, Yi’s titles play a significant role in shaping the viewer’s experience. His titles, often drawn from everyday life, are carefully chosen to provoke thought and create an open-ended dialogue between text and image. His titles add a layer of meaning to the otherwise abstract composition, suggesting a narrative without dictating a specific interpretation. As Yi explains, “More often than not, the title comes first—before the brush even touches the canvas. I collect phrases from everyday life that leave a strong impression on me, recording them as sensory fragments. I treat these titles as part of the work, ensuring they function beyond mere labeling.”
I SEE THESE ANIMALS AS REFLECTIONS OF HUMAN AMBITION, THEIR BODIES BECOMING SITES OF PROJECTED DESIRES.”
This approach underscores Yi’s belief in the power of words to add depth and complexity to visual art. Rather than providing a clear context or explanation for the image, the title acts as a subtle provocation, inviting the viewer to engage with the painting on a deeper, more introspective level. This relationship between image and text mirrors Yi’s broader artistic philosophy, which emphasizes the importance of questioning existing structures and embracing uncertainty.
A recurring motif in Yi’s work is the depiction of animals. Animals like apes and dogs—historically having been treated as scientific research subjects for advancements in anatomical studies and space exploration—serve as metaphors for the speculative future of humanity. He states, “I see these animals as reflections of human ambition, their bodies becoming sites of projected desires.” The repeated representation of primates, with their human-like physicality, creates a sense of both familiarity and estrangement, evoking the evolutionary past and future of the human condition.
Through his treatment of primates, Yi invites the viewer to confront the anxieties surrounding human progress, identity, and reproduction. The unsettling presence of multiple eyes, fragmented body parts, and disjointed limbs creates a sense of discomfort that reflects the fragmented state of the modern world. Yi’s primates, like his human figures, resist easy categorization, symbolizing the ambiguity and uncertainty that pervades contemporary existence.
The scale of Yi’s paintings is another key element of his practice. His works are often large, filling the canvas with intricate details that invite close examination. As Yi explains, “The scale of my work is determined by the degree of manipulation and transformation the image undergoes in the preliminary drawing stage. Rather than adhering to a fixed size, I construct the composition based on what the work demands.” The large scale of his paintings amplifies the sensory impact of the fragmented figures, immersing the viewer in a world of visual dissonance.
Yi’s works often resemble digital or AI-generated art, leading to questions about his relationship with technology and artificial intelligence. Yi acknowledges the influence of digital aesthetics on his work, but he is clear that his practice is more connected to “structuralist and deconstructivist approaches” than to digital art. He states, “While my work does not directly engage with AI or digital technology, it is impossible to completely detach it from the influence of modern technological aesthetics. Digital art is a natural evolution of artistic practice, much like how Dadaism embraced mechanical reproduction. I respect it as an integral part of contemporary visual culture.”
I COLLECT PHRASES FROM EVERYDAY LIFE THAT LEAVE A STRONG IMPRESSION ON ME, RECORDING THEM AS SENSORY FRAGMENTS.”
This distinction reflects Yi’s desire to reclaim the physicality of painting in an era dominated by the digital. Despite the visual similarities, Yi’s paintings are entirely analog, painted primarily in acrylic on linen, with each brushstroke meticulously applied by hand to ensure precision. The absence of digital tools in his practice is crucial to his artistic exploration, as he strives to maintain the materiality of the canvas and the tactile experience of creation. This emphasis on analog processes allows Yi to question the very nature of representation in an age where digital tools increasingly mediate our perceptions of reality.
Younguk Yi’s art is an exploration of the fragmented nature of the human experience. Through repetition, deconstruction, and abstraction, Yi’s work confronts the viewer with unsettling, hyperreal representations of the human body and its disintegration. By drawing on historical and contemporary artistic influences, Yi challenges conventional modes of representation, questioning how we perceive and engage with the world around us. His work is not only a visual experience but an intellectual one, inviting the viewer to reconsider the very nature of art, identity, and existence in a rapidly changing world:
“To live as an artist is to navigate the world through a lens of sensitivity and critical engagement. It requires embracing uncertainty, giving form to the invisible, and challenging existing structures. I am continuing to investigate transformation and narrative construction in contemporary image making.”*
This article is featured in Hi-Fructose Issue 74. Get the full article in print here and thanks for reading us!
