[Atelier Y] Meaning of 'daily' derived from 'the scribble' – writer Mothfly

October 2024 Art Square - Mosfly Artist Invitation Exhibition

October 1st (Tue) ~ October 31st (Thu)

Location: YTN New Square 1F lobby in Sangam-dong

The protagonist of the YTN Art Square invitation exhibition in October 2024 is the author "Mothfly." The artist captured the meaning of the world and daily life he thought of on the canvas with the motif of the "paradise" he usually drew randomly.

The artist's pen name "Mothfly" comes from the name of the studio he created before his debut. It is said that the name was used because the appearance of the moth fly flying felt similar to the line expressed in his painting, and it is said to be a name that I am more attached to because it fits well with the work I am drawing now.

Like a moth fly flying around the world freely and individually in its own way, why don't you appreciate the daily life and the meaning of the world that the artist Mosfly usually thinks and feels through his work? The exhibition runs until October 31.



▼ The following is a question-and-answer with Mosfly writer

▲ Watchdog Park Johnber, 91.0×116.8cm, Acrylic on canvas, 2024

Q. Please introduce the subject of the exhibition.

These paintings were not planned for the exhibition, but I collected my usual works. To put it the easiest way, I think I can say it as 'the intersection of memory and delusion'. My work is mainly based on the past graffiti and brings it to the work. There are many cases where doodles are done unconsciously. As a result, there are times when I look at it again later, it looks quite unfamiliar. I definitely spit it out, but when I look at it again, I like the moments when I encounter very unfamiliar things. And if you look at it again, at the point where I drew graffiti in the past, the things that influenced me the most are scattered in various forms. So, looking at it, I look at the past and myself in the past once again, and I like that process, and I tend to draw it and express it through painting by adding delusions that I have done now.

▲ Happy jolly tippler, 65.1×90.9cm, Acrylic on canvas, 2024

Q. How do you usually come up with ideas for your work?

I have a notebook that I usually scribble on. I think it's the beginning of seeing it again. I've seen it all there, but if you look closely, you'll think, "What's this? "Why did I draw this?" It was discovered, and when I look at it again, there are characters that I got used to and drew often. So there are three characters that appear a lot in my paintings. They are characters called "Park Johnber", "Sinmuhak", and "Madudeobuk", but I didn't draw them under any plan, but when I looked at the graffiti of the past, I got used to them and drew them often. So now that these characters appear often, I am attached to them, so narratives are made naturally, and I am dealing with characters like self-portraits by projecting all parts of my personality. So I usually take all the ideas from those scribbles and work on them.

▲ a scribble note by Mosfly.

Q. What's your favorite exhibition piece?

I'm most attached to "The Operator". What makes this work a little meaningful is why I'm drawing illustrations that sometimes seem futile. I thought about what this would mean, so I wanted to draw "The Operator", and if you look at the painting, it's a person whose head explodes. This is the closest picture to my self-portrait. I think some of the thoughts in me are the things that have been condensed and mixed up from the past to the present are what I'm talking about now. So I drew this work with a feeling like 'Big Bang' and wanted to announce the beginning of the story in my head, the whole experience condensing and bursting out. It's usually taken from doodles of the past, but this is a painting that I wanted to start the story a little differently.

▲ The Operator, 91.0×116.8cm, Acrylic on canvas, 2024

Q. What do you care about the most about the production of your work?

First of all, most works naturally try to draw from things that came to mind in the past, and even if I don't bring them from graffiti, I sometimes draw by bringing things around me or something that comes to mind. If you plan this in too much detail by sketching it, you'll pretend to be cool and look a little more, but these things keep running like crazy. So I try not to plan too much when I organize the thoughts that come to mind that I should draw something that has been discovered in the past. I'm trying to translate my feelings into painting, and even though I think it's the most immature, I'm trying to bring the feelings and the thoughts of what I should draw when I'm found, rather than a big plan.

▲ Heavy smoker, 65.1×90.9cm, Acrylic on canvas, 2024

Q. Please tell me the way you express the topic or know-how in your work.

It's similar to what I just said, but there are many cases where I don't get the original feeling when I draw something and I really like it and expand the sketch again with great care. So there is a tendency not to plan too much to work on.

▲ my old cat with me, 116.8×80.3cm, Acrylic on canvas, 2024

Q. Do you have any background or special experience that influenced the world of your work?

In fact, when we were young, the media was pretty precious. When you were young, you had the experience of opening a newspaper and checking the schedule. You have to watch this. Like that... When I was young, I waited for all of those things, and the experiences I had on the weekend when I begged my mom to borrow a video were rather precious, so I think I still have a lot of memories from my childhood. So I think the restraint of continuing the delusions of aliens, monsters, etc. was influenced by what I saw in those days. I was greatly influenced by these influences in my childhood in Garibong-dong, so I'm working on my delusion stage as 'Garibong City'. And if you look at the painting style, the color is refined and used. It looks fancy in one picture, but there are not that many colors in it. I think that was also influenced by my days as a designer who refined colors a little, and that's why I think I'm drawing a picture that anyone can understand and approach comfortably.

▲ over the wall, 116.8×91.0cm, Acrylic on canvas, 2024

Q. Is there any message you want to convey through the exhibition?

I don't think I'm actually trying to give an insight with a single painting. I told you that the motif of my paintings came mainly from doodles. So I think the biggest purpose was to share the joyful vibes from the playful and escapist graffiti. I also thought a lot about what kind of meaning these paintings should have, what kind of discourse and insights should be given to people who see them, but each painting has a different role and at first, I thought it would be a problem because there was no such thing, but you can think of it as just bringing something playful. I think you can just look at each one and feel it in your own way.

▲ Sin moohak's Night, 89.4×130.0cm, Acrylic on canvas, 2024

Q. If you give the audience a tip on how to appreciate the work?

I don't think my paintings are meaningful, so I hope the audience will do the same, just as I drew a picture by finding memories of the past and connecting them to my emotions. Although the situations and objects in my paintings may seem a little surreal, if you look closely, there are a lot of things composed of objects that are quite common because there are a lot of them from my surrounding experiences. I think it's the best viewing corporation to just look at it while looking at it and focusing on the current emotions. I recommend you to look at it naturally from the audience's perspective, not from the artist's perspective. Since it is composed of objects that can be encountered on a daily basis, I think there are enough things to be found in one's past, present, and present experiences.

Q. What are your work plans for the future and if you have any aspirations or dreams as a writer?

In the case of my work, I think it is a painting that even people who find art difficult can see comfortably. I hope my drawing will play that role as well. Also, there are many things that are difficult and difficult when looking at paintings, so there are some parts that I feel that I need to learn some art to enjoy. But I want to be a writer who can enjoy it even if it is not that difficult, and even beginners can see and enjoy it. So I'm doing a lot of things other than painting. We make small goods and posters. I think it's fun to look at the pictures, but I think it's one of the fun to consume them. So, I want to be a writer who can create a lot of various things to enjoy and provide an environment where everyone can consume and enjoy.