Healing Held by Tightly Closed Lips

[MZ Generation's Beloved Author, Jihi (JIHI)]

"V-shaped Lips Drawing as Signature
A Means of Communication and Symbol of Depth
Soothing Negative Emotions for Self-Reflection

Artwork Featuring 'Ojingeo Game' Symbol
Enjoyed Creating... Sold as Number One"

Artist Jihi (JIHI).

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] At the VVIP event of the Korea International Art Fair (KIAF) held last month, one artist stood out noticeably. The artist greeted each visitor to the gallery booth individually, which left a strong impression. At first, I mistook the artist for a gallery staff member. This was because it was a famous gallery located in Hannam-dong, Seoul, and in many galleries within the exhibition hall, only staff members were attending to visitors, with no artists present. When visitors asked about the meaning of the motifs in the paintings, the artist eagerly approached and explained passionately as if waiting for such questions.

I recently met the artist JIHI (real name Kim Jihee, 35, photo) again at the lounge cafe A’+Z, located in the Andaz Seoul Gangnam hotel. After participating in KIAF, she collaborated with Andaz to hold an exhibition featuring 11 of her works here until the end of the year. JIHI explained, "I captured the warm emotions of spending the year-end with loved ones in these works. Hotels nowadays are often used as spaces for staycations or parties with acquaintances, so I wanted to convey a joyful and comfortable feeling through my art as well."

Among the works hanging on the wall, one featuring symbols from the globally popular Netflix drama Squid Game caught the eye. JIHI said, "I saw the participants numbered 1 to 456, each with their own story in the drama, and thought it resembled my artistic world. I really enjoyed working on it, and that painting was the first to be sold," she hinted.

The lounge cafe Arts (A'+Z) inside Andaz Seoul Gangnam is exhibiting works by artist JIHI.

Lip images frequently appear in JIHI’s works. The thick lips with a V-shaped upper lip and tightly closed mouth are the artist’s trademark. Lips symbolize communication. By incorporating numbers, mathematical symbols, and letters, she leads viewers into her unique contemplative world. JIHI focuses on the social phenomenon today where communication methods have diversified rapidly with technological advances, but the depth of speech and relationships has become shallow.

"On social networking services (SNS) like Instagram, there are people who meticulously decorate their self-image. But when you actually meet them, that atmosphere often doesn’t match. After just a few exchanges, their true nature is revealed. In life, I feel that how you communicate with others is more important than who is around you. The sentiment of writing letters all night and secretly placing them in a locker is something the younger generation doesn’t understand. I wanted to express this disappearing form of communication through my paintings. The lip image was born from the process of sublimating the emotions of a first love breakup into art. Later, I expanded the drawing to a form that could encompass both personal and social stories."

JIHI showcases her unique aesthetic by navigating between abstract expressionism and pop art. When her paintings hang on gallery or exhibition walls, they feel like sophisticated American-style abstract paintings. In casual spaces like cafes, her works exude a charming fan art-like cuteness. The ability to evoke completely different feelings depending on the space is the greatest appeal of JIHI’s work. She has also released collaborative products featuring her paintings through proposals from the cosmetics brand Missha and the women’s brand G-CUT.

Starry Night, Oil on panel, 162x260cm, 2021

Throughout the interview, JIHI frequently mentioned "metacognition." This is the cognitive ability to solve problems through self-objectification. "In the past, I often painted themes about my mistakes, obsessions, and self-rationalizations. I was negative toward myself. But through painting, I was able to view those emotions from a third-person perspective. This helped me soothe my feelings and learn how to grow. That’s when metacognition developed. I hope to convey stories through my paintings that everyone can relate to, so people can be healed and grow. Many collectors now buy art purely as an investment, but I want them to truly feel that the real value of art lies in self-reflection."

From the 2nd to the 5th of next month, JIHI will exhibit five works through the British Pontoni Gallery at Art Miami in the United States. The collection includes a variety of sizes, from large-scale 200-size pieces to 30-size works. In the same month, she plans to hold an exhibition at Artro, a complex cultural space at the E-Land Gallery in the Kensington Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, to wrap up the year.