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Jayoung Yoon

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Jayoung Yoon
Born (1979-06-14) June 14, 1979 (age 47)
Seoul, South Korea
EducationHongik University; Cranbrook Academy of Art
Known forSculpture, Textiles, Video, Performance
Websitehttps://www.jayoungyoon.com

Jayoung Yoon (Korean: 윤자영; Hanja: 尹慈永; born 1979) is a South Korean artist whose primary medium is human hair.[1][2] Her work includes sculpture, performance, video, and two-dimensional works, and draws on Christian and Buddhist philosophy, and Korean cultural traditions.[1][3][4] She received the Joan Mitchell Fellowship in 2023 and has been exhibited internationally in the United States, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.[5] Yoon lives and works in Beacon, New York.[3][6]

Early life and education

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Yoon was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts from Hongik University in Korea and moved to the United States in 2006.[3][7][6] In 2009, she received a Master of Fine Arts in fiber arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where she first began using human hair as an artistic medium.[3][4]

Work

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Materials and themes

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Yoon has described human hair as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms, and uses it as her primary material.[1] She hand-knots or weaves lengths of hair into semi-transparent sculptural forms and two-dimensional geometric images.[2][8] The resulting structures move with changes in airflow.[2] Her work draws on Christian and Buddhist philosophy, and other spiritual traditions.[1][3][4] She also works with feathers and milkweed seed fiber, and has incorporated traditional Korean horsehair weaving techniques, which she studied on Jeju island, South Korea.[4][5][6][9]

Sculpture

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Web of Life (2015–2017), nine feet in diameter, is composed of hand-made knots using hair from immediate and extended family members.[10][11] The Form and Emptiness series (2015–2017) consists of woven mesh boxes hung from the ceiling, each containing a geometric shape at its center, all woven from strands of human hair.[10][8][12] The Skull (2016), made from hair and glue, reflects on mortality and life cycles; according to the artist, "The skull represents the cycles of life and death and the transparent feeling of the hair sculpture represents temporality..."[13][14] Offering Bowl #7 (2022) incorporates hair collected from her mother.[11]

Performances and video

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Yoon's performances often involve extended exposure to the elements.[1][15] Listen to the Mind I (2009) condensed ten hours of footage into a timelapse 9 minute video in which Yoon lies still with a hair funnel extending from her ear, while exposed to the changing sunlight throughout a day.[15] Non-Ego (2010) is a video in which Yoon places eleven large pots, each roughly the size of her body, in a circle and positions herself as the twelfth point before stepping outside it.[1][16] Umbicality (2012) uses hair to connect the body to open air and sky.[17][18] In 2012, she presented Clearing the Mind, a performance at Deep Tanks gallery, Staten Island.[19]

Recognition

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In 2025, Yoon was selected for a residency at the Museum of Arts and Design in Manhattan.[9] She has also attended residencies at MacDowell in New Hampshire, Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine, Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Colorado, and Sculpture Space in New York.[6] She received the Joan Mitchell Fellowship in 2023, as well as the BRIC Media Arts Fellowship, the Franklin Furnace Fund, and the Ora Schneider Regional Residency Grant.[10][5] Her work has been exhibited at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, the Coreana Museum of Art, and the Seoul Olympic Museum of Art.[5][20] It has been covered in The New Yorker,[13] The Paris Review,[1] and Fiber Art Now.[5]

Critical reception

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Writing in the Ithaca Times, Arthur Whitman described Yoon's approach as phenomenological, concerned with perception and embodied experience.[4] In Artnet News, Sarah Cascone wrote that the works initially resemble an unwoven window screen before closer inspection reveals them to be made of hair, calling them unsettling in their unexpected beauty.[21] The Poughkeepsie Journal noted that one piece stopped nearly every visitor for extended consideration.[22] Alex Moore, writing in the Paris Review, described Yoon's practice as sitting at the point where asceticism and aesthetics meet.[1]

Selected fellowships and grants

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Selected artist residencies

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Selected exhibitions

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Yoon's work has been exhibited in numerous solo and group shows at museums, galleries, and art institutions across the United States and internationally.[10][5]

Solo exhibitions

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  • Perceiving Emptiness, Rose Lehrman Art Gallery, HACC, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (2023)[20]
  • Sowing Seeds of Emptiness, Garrison Art Center, Garrison, New York (2022)[2]      
  • Seeing the Threshold, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, California (2018)[36]      
  • Ephemerality, Theo Ganz Studio, Beacon, New York (2016)[3]

Group exhibitions

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  • Don't Touch My Hair, Hannah Traore Gallery, New York, New York (2024)[37]
  • Interlacement, The Korea Society, New York, New York (2021)[38]
  • The Day After, Culture House, Washington, D.C. (2021)[39]
  • Hair: Textures of Belonging, Studio 3 Gallery, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom (2020)[40]
  • Materialized, Hampden Gallery, UMass Amherst, Massachusetts (2019)[41]
  • Fiberart International 2019, Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2019)[42]
  • Hand/Eye, Form & Concept, Santa Fe, New Mexico (2018)[43]
  • Sutures, Marc Straus, New York, New York (2018)[44]
  • Multilayered: New Prints 2018/Summer, Print Center New York, New York (2018)[45]
  • The ArtsWestchester 2018 Triennial, ArtsWestchester, White Plains, New York (2018)[46]
  • Bronx Calling: The Fourth AIM Biennial, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, New York (2018)[13]
  • CICA Experimental Film and Video, Czong Institute for Contemporary Art, Gyeonggi-do, Korea (2016)[47]
  • Portal Art Fair, Federal Hall, New York, New York (2016)[8]
  • Threaded, Flatiron Project Space, School of Visual Arts, New York, New York (2016)[48]
  • The 11th Busan International Video Art Festival, Busan, Korea (2014)[49]
  • East and West: Asian Influence on Contemporary American Craft, Ohio Craft Museum, Columbus, OH (2013)[50]
  • Sacred Vision, Separate Views, Tibet House US, New York, New York (2012)[51]
  • Show me your hair, Coreana Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea (2011)[52]
  • Containment, Garfo Art Center, Salt Lake City, Utah (2010)[53]
  • Hair Tactic, Jersey City Museum, Jersey City, New Jersey (2010)[54]

Collections

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  • Richardson Family Art Museum, Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina[55]
  • Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Nebraska City, Nebraska[56]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Moore, Alex C. (2013-03-13). ""Sometimes Still, Sometimes Full of Tears: A Studio Visit with Jayoung Yoon, or a Strange Eulogy for William Francis"". The Paris Review.
  2. ^ a b c d "What to do this Week in the Hudson Valley". Chronogram Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Rooney, Alison (2016-07-03). "Jayoung Yoon at Theo Ganz Studio". The Highlands Current. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  4. ^ a b c d e Whitman, Arthur (2019-11-21). ""Intricate Universe": Trio of artists present a journey of post-minimalism". Ithaca Times. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Chatzoudi, Foteini (August 21, 2024). "Artist's traditional hair weaving tech earns awards, accolades". honoraryreporters.korea.net. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  6. ^ a b c d Falkenstein, Michelle (May 30, 2026). "This upstate artist wants to sculpt your hair into art". Times Union.
  7. ^ "Art celebrates Asian-American History Month". Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  8. ^ a b c Meier, Allison (2016-05-04). "New Portal Art Fair Fails to Make the Most of a Lower Manhattan Landmark". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  9. ^ a b Ferris, Marc (2025-09-05). "An Artist Who Uses Her Head". The Highlands Current.
  10. ^ a b c d Lina, Katharina (2019-01-08). "Ethereal Hair Sculptures". Infringe Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  11. ^ a b Hardy, Kaitlyn. "It's Getting Hairy". Raandoom. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  12. ^ Davis, Ben (2016-05-03). "Portal Art Fair Lets in Promising New Voices". Artnet News. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  13. ^ a b c d "Bronx Calling: The Fourth AIM Biennial". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  14. ^ "ArtsWestchester Triennial Artists Express Meaning Through Process". White Plains, NY Patch. 2018-07-09. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  15. ^ a b Hall, Kathryn (2017-11-03). ""Future Fabrication: Innovation in the information age"". Surface design Journal: 10.
  16. ^ Shuster, Robert (2010-07-20). "Tim Hawkinson's 'One Man Band'; Michael Alan's 'Harmonious Opposites'". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  17. ^ Schwartzman, Madeline (2020-02-05). See Yourself X: Human Futures Expanded. London, United Kingdom.: Black Dog Press Limited. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-1910433225.
  18. ^ Schwartzman, Madeline (2016-11-14). "Pioneering new standards of beauty". CNN. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  19. ^ Lee, A. C. (2013-12-12). ""Art on Staten Island"". The New York Times.
  20. ^ a b "Perceiving Emptiness' Exhibit Features Artwork with Human Hair". www.hacc.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  21. ^ Cascone, Sarah (2017-09-01). "The Island of Emerging Art: Governors Island Nourishes Rising Talents With Its Latest Art Fair". Artnet News. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  22. ^ Marston-Reid, Linda. "Artists explore big ideas in small works in 'Far & Wide' at Woodstock museum". Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  23. ^ "Announcing the 2023 Joan Mitchell Fellows". Joan Mitchell Foundation. 2023-08-22. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  24. ^ "The 2020 AHL Artist Fellowship Recipients Exhibition". AHL Foundation. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  25. ^ Selvin, Claire (2018-08-29). "MacDowell Colony Awards Fellowships to 87 Artists". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  26. ^ Kapplow, Heather (2018-07-27). "Perceiving in Detail: Jayoung Yoon". Women's Studio Workshop. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  27. ^ BRIC Media Artist Fellowship 2014. 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2024-09-21 – via YouTube.
  28. ^ "List of Fund Winners 1985-2021". Franklin Furnace. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  29. ^ "Jayoung Yoon". madmuseum.org. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  30. ^ "Alumni 2010-2020". Millay Arts. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  31. ^ "Jayoung Yoon - MacDowell Fellow in Visual Arts". MacDowell. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  32. ^ "Jayoung Yoon (2017)". Saltonstall. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  33. ^ "A Sense of Place". I-Park Foundation. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  34. ^ "Jayoung Yoon". SCULPTURE SPACE. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  35. ^ Eliano, Liza (2010-07-07). "Rewind to Summer 2009!". Art F City. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  36. ^ "Past Exhibitions 2019". San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  37. ^ "Don't Touch My Hair". Hannah Traore Gallery. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  38. ^ "Interlacement: A Group Exhibition". The Korea Society. 2021-09-30. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  39. ^ "The Day After". Culture House. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  40. ^ "Hair: Textures of Belonging – Studio 3 Gallery". 2020-06-12. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  41. ^ Shutan, Suzan (2019-09-08). "Materialized". UMass Amherst Fine Arts Center.
  42. ^ "FI 2019 Exhibition – FiberArts Guild of Pittsburgh". fiberartspgh.org. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  43. ^ "Hand / Eye". form & concept gallery. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  44. ^ "Sutures". Marc Straus. September 8 – October 16, 2018. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  45. ^ "Multilayered: New Prints 2018/Summer". Print Center New York. 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  46. ^ "ArtsWestchester 2018 Triennial". artswestchester.org. 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  47. ^ "CICA Experimental Film and Video Exhibition Summer/Fall 2016: CICA 실험 영화 및 비디오 국제전 – 2016 여름/가을 – CICA". Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  48. ^ "Threaded". School of Visual Arts. July 5–29, 2016. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  49. ^ The 11th Busan International Video Art Festival. 2014-12-12. p. 16.
  50. ^ "East & West: Asian Influences on Contemporary American Craft". Ohio Designer Craftsmen. 2013-08-19. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  51. ^ "Sacred Vision, Separate Views : Contemporary Buddhist Art - A Tibet House US Exhibition". Tibet House US. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  52. ^ 씨, 스페이스. "Past Exhibitions - space*c". spacec.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  53. ^ Staker, Brian. "Garfo Art Center: Containment". Salt Lake City Weekly. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  54. ^ Hayes, Melissa (2010-02-16). "Hair inspires exhibit at Jersey City Museum". nj. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  55. ^ "Collections". www.wofford.edu. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  56. ^ "Kimmel Permanent Collection". KHN Center for the Arts. 21 September 2024.
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