Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ara Ko. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ara, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
I maintain constant creative energy in my practice. While there are philosophies and methods that my art is based on, I always seek for changes. To deepen my practice, I strive to be closer to nature to get inspiration. For example, every time I walk on the street and watch a flock of birds flying by in the distance, I contemplate the shapes that the positions of the flying birds make.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My job as an artist is mostly painting in the studio. My work is a sculptural drawing of abstract shapes. My main material is charcoal and acrylic paint creating monochrome space on the canvas. I also attract viewers with a realistic science-fiction feel by using special black paint, which does not reflect light on the surface. The shapes in my painting resemble a bone or part of the human body. but it also strives for scientific concepts like fractals or the golden ratio in composition. In other words, I am interested in finding natural principles, which leads my paintings to embody the appearance of nature.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
My artistic practice has spanned several years. In the first stage, in 2017, I was interested in constructing shapes on a 2D surface, composing irregular shapes, and enjoying their transformation while exploring various compositions. Soon after, the compositions in my paintings began to express the laws of nature, followed by my understanding of natural principles. My painting has developed not just with my skills but also with my thoughts, building my identity. So, don’t be afraid. The result will be your growth anyway.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My parents were art and history teachers. During school vacations, my father took me to museums, old palaces, and lost temple sites to show me Korean cultural relics, rather than to amusement parks. At that time, I learned about the rustic and natural beauty of simplicity in the East, and about architecture that harmonizes with nature. These experiences influenced my art that reflects the forms of nature.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arakostudio.com
- Instagram: @arako_mono
Image Credits
Photo credit by Wei and Xi Studio
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