"object with the mechanism of history"
Ottokaji Iroke is a contemporary artist in the Hague who grew up in Seoul. He studied Painting and Visual communication design for his B.F.A at Hongik University, Seoul, and then he received a master's degree at Frank Mohr Institute for painting. He loves profound eternity in simple objects, and critical insights through light jokes. He often uses everyday objects and recontextualises them. The way he works begins with his daily routine. He starts his day at 5 in the morning with a drawing on a 365-page calendar, then trains jiu-jitsu at 6:30, drinks coffee, and thinks and writes. In the night, he likes to talk with new people. He often uses multicultural jokes to make a conjunctional point, where different perspectives collide. He does not set a border between lifestyle and conventional art mediums. He says, ‘Art is not far from anyone; it is right next to you now.’ He makes statements through audio, paintings, sculpture, and installation.
Looking at Ottokaji Iroke’s work, you might come to the conclusion that misunderstanding is the default human relation. A ceramic towel reads ‘I said tower’ and a series of mugs deformed beyond recognition is called ‘I said mug, not mud’. Daily watercolours on pee pads continue in the same vein and a video shot in his EKWC bedroom is a rhythmical riff on the distinction between Hamburg and hamburger. For all its humour, Ottokaji Iroke’s play with words, images, sounds and signs often points to an underlying reality of societal tensions. A ceramic Identity Politics Bible is called ‘Ho Lee Fuk’. Trivial observations like the different shapes of croissants in the Oisterwijk supermarkets lead to gold-lustred sculptures referring Nike and the Venus of Willendorf to address thorny questions of food, fitness, success and body image. A word of caution is in order: only the holder of a Universal Passport to the United States of Pizza may safely travel this carefully constructed field of associative meaning.
Nanne op 't Ende, May 12, 2023
어떡하지 이렇게(1989년생, 서울 출신)는 홍익대학교에서 회화와 시각디자인으로 학사를 취득하고, 네덜란드 프랭크모어 인스티튜트에서 페인팅으로 석사를 받았습니다. 네덜란드 헤이그에 거주하며 네덜란드와 독일을 비롯한 유럽을 주 무대로 활동하고 있습니다. 아르헨티나 아티스트 아구스틴 마르티네즈와 협업하여 2024년에는 음악 앨범을 발매할 예정입니다.
일상에서 마주하는 흥미로운 서사나 사회적 텐션을 마주하면, 이에 근본적인 질문을 하며 반응합니다. 언어, 역사, 이미지, 상징 등을 활용하여 작업을 합니다. 지속적으로 일상과 예술의 경계를 허무는 시도를 하며, 무의식적으로 관람자의 일상에 감동으로 스며드는 작업을 선사하기를 고대합니다.
CV upon request
@iroke_studio
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