Meet Jihye Park | Visual, Performance ,installation, conceptual artist, Sculptor, Fashion Designer, Musician ,

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jihye Park and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jihye, what is the most important factor behind your success?
When I was a kid I was a bad kid who did not go to school, always leave school secretly Lied to my parents and pierced on my face and body, I went to club and hang out with bad friends drinking and smoking in early age.. But, my turning point is when I was twenty I had a car accident, it was such a bad accident that my ankle broke..
I was riding a scooter and a car hit me, My parents got really mad at me because I didn’t listen to them, I was almost not able to walk, About one year after , my ankle healed and i was able to walk and run,, I thought everything will be okay,
After I have other problem on my body my ballance was not good enough, so I couldn’t go to school in Japan which I really wanted to go, The school in Japan was after I graduated university in South korea, I tried to go as second bachelor degree in fine art it was expensive school, the year I prepared the school I painted a lot .. so I couldn’t even walk.. even I passed the school test I wouldn’t be able to enter..
It is just what everybody has their own problems.. life is drama ,, I guess, the next year, I prepared MFA degree in Tokyo University of art which is the famous school for art in Japan it also affordable I passed exam almost entire my school 6years I got my scholarship and also grants for whole life in Japan..
I went to Germany because of art what I love, I got scholarship also because of what I love, Now, I am in America because of my art, I purchased a piece of land in Barstow , California, and Nasushiobara in Japan. My art is my canvas land I paint on a piece of land which is mine, It is canvas. It takes me everywhere
Nobody tells me to go or to do It is almost impossible to do something that my heart does not like to do.
I did not like what everybody likes,, such as typical beautiful looking objects, I don’t know what exactly is..

During my early and middle twenties, I did try many things, because I didn’t know what I really love If I don’t try.
Make up artist, Fashion coodinator, Actress, Magazine model, Speed skater, Cello etc..

Thats why I know myself very well especially what I am really good at or what I am not good at, It is import to know
My feelings especially what things make me happy,
When I draw, grab a pencil or brush, clay or whatever I can create something and actually doing it
I feel like I am not here,, Just focus on myself I am the only one who is in the earth alive.. and try to figure it out
What it feels like with various materials..

Thats why I have been trying so many things that I can express my feelings and environment people around at the moment
How to interact between materials, people , environment to me and each other ..
Always thinking that way trained myself and open my heart so whenever wherever I can always think and grab good idea
it provide me good result..

Since 2020 Covid started, I was wondering instead of paintings or installation , performance
I tried clothings, Basically I paint and replace by using photoshop to redesign on clothes, ( I make different story from my original painting on the clothes )It gives me happiness
I got into more music this year

I think my diverse personality makes me try to do different thing
I get bored easily when i was kid i thought something wrong with me I couldn’t attach with one thing,
I jumped from one to another easily and I was be able to do that because my parents supported me

I studied ceramic design. when I was in South Korea. at the beginning ceramic wasn’t that interesting to me ,, after i graduated
I was interested in Japan, decided to study there
also I found something interesting , I push myself keep going and focus on me it just make me happy
what I most like and what truly made me happy was to follow that feeling
I believed in myself

The most important thing to me is honesty and just being me

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As I mentioned I don’t follow the rule, the rule make something I do not agree.. I like what people don’t like, I do something what people say not to do, I am opposite to people People think I am weird sometimes make fun of me, in a good way or bad way,
I am against doing something which doesn’t feel right to me, the thing that I am most proud of is just being me
Even though I get stuck because I did not follow the rule or I did not listen what people say I just followed my gut

I think that’s why I am still here alive and achieve something (being an artist) who does paint, installation, performance, sculptor , musician, fashion designer I am multiple potentialized , I always try to show the best of myself
challenge my limits , sometimes that perfectionism become an obsession, keep thinking and thinking until i achieve my goal, you can see on my painting,,,
my art , fashion, music are one solid explosive creation
I am emotionally obsessed with certain feeling in my past, close person`s death , accident that traumatizes me
It is painful, but I challenge myself using those feelings I overcome and express through my art

First time it touched my heart but when I keep doing it I found myself I am actually enjoying it and also healing myself.
The process was easy and fun for me, I think I was born with it, to overcome and challenge anything

chaos ,I force myself sometimes I do not care my health because of my obssesion.
I was excited to have my solo show in Japan, It was very grateful moment.. I followed my heart and came to LA to my canvas land in barstow that i purchased in 2018, I work on it , my paint, music and canvas land all together made my own fashion Brand “Crazyjayjay”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would like to take my friend on a eating spree all over LA, There are so many magical places to eat that we will probably have infinite food. I would say that my first stop would be Silver lake , Echo park, Little Tokyo , Malibu and Manhattan beach But not forgetting about orange county there’s also amazing food.

I will take to Zion national park, also stop by Las Vegas.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My biggest mentor and supporter is God and I strongly believe all my help , love , encouragement of people around me God bring them to me..

But I wanted to mention about my parents, they raised me like a wild kid my dad and mom they were just different parents compare to other parents, I think they raised me as a very open kid, they were open minded my mom was a piano teacher my dad is lawyer. Typical asian culture is conservative but my parents were different ..
The reason why I love challenges and not being afraid of doing something for the first time, I just believe my gut.^^

Secondly my art teacher in South Korea, He taught me how to think about objects , different perspective in a various environment and feelings, how to connect , express to my feelings to objects , people , nature in the world. How to communicate with objects etc…

People in Japan, especially my friend who was in the same class with me, She was the strong type of women, always encourage, help me ^^

The last person is my friend in LA, He is a knowledgable person, I can ask whatever I don’t know ,most of times he has the answers ! when I was not sure of myself I always ask for mental and emotional advice !

Website: https://linktr.ee/Jay_park_art

Instagram: www.instagram.com/crazyjayjayjay

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQTxlp5WdxQhRP5iGz8yIQ?view_as=public?sub_confirmation=1

Image Credits
Renzo Fernandez