Inspired Ink

South Korean artist JIEUN PARK gives us the lowdown on what inspires and drives her passion for her Chinese ink art.

Jieun Park’s current solo exhibition, Travelogue, at REDSEA Gallery, is an array of striking, abstract, travel-inspired Chinese ink pieces. For the artist, drawing and design have been a passion since she was a little girl growing up in South Korea. She pursued her love of painting by taking a degree in Fine Arts and Design Advertising at Konkuk University in Seoul, majoring in Oriental painting.

It was in her second year of university that Jieun went on a two-month trip to the Czech Republic – a trip that ignited her passion for travel. Wanting to express this newfound passion through her favourite medium of Chinese ink painting, she began creating the style of artworks that have been a feature of her work ever since.

The Inspiration

Towards the end of her solo travels, at the tail end of a bleak Czech winter, Jieun climbed to the top of the Old Town Hall in Prague to take in its signature views of the city. “I remember gazing at downtown Prague. The cold was gone, and I began to feel ecstatic. I think I was there in a daze for hours. After that, I completely fell in love with travel.”

The city that has inspired her the most to date is Lyon in France. “I recall fondly how the view from my window was full of red roofs. It was quiet, and the architecture was beautiful during the day. It was a time when my mind was so stable and happy.”