The Truth In This Art: Korean-American Visual Artist Katie Chung Interview

now. I think I recognize her. Welcome to The Truth in Us Art, your source for conversations at the intersection of arts, culture, and community. I am your host, Rob Lee. Thank you for joining me.

Today, I am excited to be in conversation with my next guest. She is a Korean American visual artist born and raised in Chicago whose practice spans drawing, painting, and sculpture. Her work investigates everyday life with bold shapes and colors while her sculptural pieces explore her Korean American heritage and identity. Please welcome Katie Chung. Welcome to the podcast.

Hi. Thanks. Really excited to be here.

Thank you for for coming on. I'm excited to have you here. Like, as I try to extend and have my my my my tentacles and my fingerprints in the Midwest, I'm glad I have a Chicagoan. That's what you guys call it. Right?

Chicagoan on the podcast.

Yeah. That's cool. I'm I'm glad you reached out. You've also introduced me to different artists, more kind of in the East Coast. So just listening to your podcast, I think it's cool.

Thank you. I I really appreciate that and, appreciate you you joining today. And before we get into the big major questions, I'd like to give you the space to to introduce yourself in your own words. Obviously, I think there's a lot of power in that. I can use the, you know, pieces of the online bio and the artist statement, but hearing it directly from the artist, hearing it directly from the guest, there's much more power in that.

So if you will, please.

Yeah. For sure. Hi. I'm Katie Chung. I'm a Korean American visual artist from Chicago.

My art practice is split in, like, two directions right now. I make illustrations, and I paint murals. And these are mostly commissioned artworks. I describe them as, like, bold, colorful drawings, very graphic, cartoonish drawings. And then the other side of my practice is, I I guess, would be described as, like, textile sculptures.

I have a background in bookbinding, and I also just I love sewing. It's always been in my life. So, through those two different techniques, I explore my identity, my lineage, and my heritage, and, I make these artifacts, I guess. Yeah. So I'm kind of a little in 2 lanes, but I think as a Korean American, it's, like, bound for me to be in this type of, yeah, position, holding 2 different type of, like, personalities in my art.

Thank you. That's that's great. And, you know, I was when I was doing some of the research, I was like, hold on. You know, I was doing one of those things. I was like, you have more than one thing.

You know? And just seeing it, I was like, this is really good. This is really great. And then it's like, oh, this is also great. It's like, what?

So how am I gonna, you know, come up with questions and and all of that good stuff? So, you know, in it, it's talking about sort of the the the two lanes or what have you. I feel like I feel like there's a third one, but those those two lanes that are there, creatively, what is your first love?

It was drawing. I think it's just it's so accessible and simple. That's, like, my earliest memories of doing art, and enjoying it and feeling like I was good at something or, like, doing something right. You know? I think when I was preparing for this podcast, it kinda drew up these memories of me, like, sitting really young with, like, a bunch of loose leaves sheets of paper and just like making squiggles on the lines and being like, I'm doing my work.

But I was like, you could be like 3 or 4, like, what are you doing? But like, it was like this form of drawing like, okay, like, don't know. I had this idea of something and I'm getting it out. Yeah. And then I think second would just be sewing, which is kind of an extension of drawing, really.

So

No. I I drawing was the was the was the thing for me growing up. You know, this came along, like, I think later as sort of, I guess, storytelling. But I've been doing podcasting for so long, but it was even a thing, and it's still not quite a thing. And that's sort of, you know, in that respected way is not considered, you know, art or considered this is like this is a creative pursuit that can bend into these other areas.

But as far as like knowing I wanted to do something creative, artistic, or have you, illustration was the first thing for me. You know, I still have, you know, I'll be 40 in, January. I still have my art bags when I was 5 years old in my studio, and my grandmother actually sewed sewed the bag together for me based off of, I think it was pieces of my dad's duffle bag when he was in the armed forces.

Oh my god. I love that. Like, that that to me is art. You know what I mean? That is, like, the art that is accessible.

Just like things made with care and love and, I don't know, attention and time. I just like yeah. I love that.

It's it's really cool. I was like, oh, wow. Even when I I drew this cover of X Men from Wizard Magazine back in the day. Well, maybe I'll do that different. Do you wanna go back into drawing, Rob?

We'll see.

Yeah. I just love the idea of just, like, something as simple as just I don't know. It's I feel like when I heard the term mark making that was like it's kind of a fancy phrase, but it's also just like, oh my god. It's literally drawing. I feel like when people are like, I can't draw.

It's like, okay. You can't like smudge something on a surface. I don't know. We've already gone through, like, modernism, and we're you know?

You can't smudge something on a surface. I like it. I like it.

Yeah.

So in in this next one, perhaps it's, it's a 2 part question maybe, but I have read somewhere because I was going through old interviews and reading old interviews. I saw this influence around, like, cartoons and and comics. So could you talk a bit about that? You touched on a little bit earlier, but could you touch on that a bit and show to sort of how maybe the influences show up or kinda shape your your art? And, you know, I have a second part too, but I at least wanna give you that.

Yeah. So I am a kid that grew up in the nineties. And like many nineties kids, we grew up watching TV while our parents were at work, you know. Especially as, like, I don't know. In my family, I was, like, watching so much TV.

One of my favorite shows was The Simpsons and King of the Hill. And I just love, like, again, like, simplicity. It's just like, okay, this line indicates an ear. You know, like, I just love that style. I also love the story Kelly and the Simpsons.

Just like it's about a family that watches TV. You know? And then I think as I knew that I started getting into art and getting to, like, things in high school, I started finding graphic novels and getting, like, alternatives. So, things like Artkrom, which I know you've talked to a couple artists about. I I feel like the moment you find something like Artkrom is, like, when you kinda find, like, punk rock is, like, music and you're like, oh my gosh.

You know? But, yeah, and then that, like, I I I love Linda Barry. I love Daniel Clouse. It's weird stories and kind of ordinary drawings. I don't know.

I love that stuff. And then in college, I just studied printmaking and graphic design, and I was introduced to artists like Paul Rand, Saul Bass, which I feel like are, like, the kings of, like, logos. And then, like, Red Grooms. I just found a book on him. I nerd it out.

It's just, like, disgustingly colorful pictures of, like, New York City in, like, the seventies eighties. You know? The Harry Who, which is like an artist group of Chicago artists that went to the Art Institute, back in the day. And yeah. I don't know.

These are the names that kinda just pop up. I feel like these are the names that sometimes get referenced when I mention my work, especially like the Harry Who Harry Hoove. Yeah. I just I don't know. I think saying cartoons and comics is an easy way to just be like, I love images.

You know what I mean? Like, I've seen a lot of stuff. I love art history. I love I I mean, feel like none of history made sense until I learned art history until there was, like, a picture to it. So, yeah, I just I consume a lot of pictures.

I'm sorry. I was like

I feel like I'm getting so many quotables thus far. We're just starting, which is great. I this this is an aside because you you'd mentioned the the the ear thing as far as the Simpsons. For for you, what was what was something like that was always challenging to, like, draw? Like, was it a part of an anatomy that was super challenging?

I always had trouble with hands.

Yeah. The hands when they're holding something or whatever. I trace a lot sometimes. Like, I that's how I learned how to draw just, like, over and over again, and all of a sudden your your hand kinda memorizes certain lines. Yeah.

But, like, yeah, there's certain that's when AI is actually useful because you're, like, hand holding juice box from upper angle, you know, like, and then it's generated, and then you're like, okay. Let me just but, yeah, I hands are hard. I feel like I feel like because of our times right now in general, I feel like just using bodies and faces is kind of a challenge. I think it can be a fun challenge, but something that I'm, like, I've noticed.

One of the things that I would always do when I would schedule I'm definitely one of those kind of doodlers. If I have, like, ambient paper and a pencil, pen, something, I'm just there sketching away even now. And I found this thing that I always would return to. I'm avoiding hands because it's just, like, let's just keep failing. But I would always try to do, like, almost a self portrait in these sketches, and they would look nothing like me.

It's just like I would have, like, a book of these attempts at self portraits. They don't look similar to each other, and none of them look like me. And I'm like, why do I keep returning to this? Is it, like, something I wanna do with my face? Like, what am I doing?

I feel like that's one of the hardest artist, assignments and something that I feel like I've avoided for many years. I think I've made, like, one piece that I've I've titled self portrait, and it's, like, not a real picture of me. It's like an interpretation. You know? Because also I'm like, yeah.

That that's a hard one. What are we seeing? You know?

Right. It's it's like this is Rob after a bender drawn by the figure in the drawn by the person who the figure is made of who has not seen himself in a mirror.

All of

the context. That's just the byline at the bottom. So I I think and and I and I really dig that, you know, we're you you discovered the podcast. You're you're definitely checking it out. And I think when as I as I kinda look at this question I have here, this this next part to the question, and maybe you've touched on it.

But, like, when you're listening to this, when people are listening to this, they kind of get maybe some of the references. Sometimes they're direct questions from other interviewers. Sometimes they have a style of question or the way that the questions flow. You can see sort of like, alright, you get inspiration from this person. This person might be a model for how you go about what you do.

So for you, and maybe you mentioned it in the the group of the different artists that you you you dug or have you, But who would you say is like a creative role model that you're either looking at how they go about their art, even specific techniques, or just sort of the creative, like, life, the artistic life that they live that you maybe model or get inspiration from?

Oh, yeah. This is such a big question. I'm gonna start with, like, there's a lot of people that I've, like, chose to surround myself around. I think it's important as a working artist to, like, put yourself in situations where you're learning from other artists. I don't know.

Artists, curators, just like mentors in general that I've I've met through school. I think in terms of like, artists, when I think about, like, aesthetic styles, and that type of inspiration, I'm really drawn to I think it doesn't matter what the art looks like. It's like, if I learned about the artist's life, I really love, like, biographies of artist's life. Yeah. It just shows in their art where it's like, man, this person's lit.

Like, this is weird. Like, where was their mind? And also, like, they dedicated so much to a certain craft. One guy that comes to mind immediately, because I recently saw a documentary on him, it just came out. It's called Memorial to the Idea of a Man.

If he was an idea, what a title. Right? It's about this artist named h c Westerman, and, like, he's just wild. I don't know. He he he's like a veteran, but he's also, like, a crazy amazing woodworker and, like, was always doing handstands and, like, you know, I don't know.

Did he just have like a cool life? And I love learning about that. But there's also like musicians, like Ren, I sometimes I think about the life of Isaac Hayes, and I'm like, that dude, I don't know what he's up to now, but I bet it's cool. Like, he that is really cool. You know, he's like doing a voice on South Park, but also made, like, these legendary soundtracks.

Right.

Like, sound comes from somewhere. That's like, that leads a really cool life. You know? I don't know. Yeah.

So I think it's important as an artist to just kind of, like, dig into history, but also your contemporaries of just, like, people doing interesting things. Not just, like, what it looks like in the end, but it, like you know, I think especially because as an artist, it's such a not traditional path. So you gotta kinda reach and take from other people's lives and be like, I I wanna do this. Okay. I wanna do this.

You know? So yeah. I I try to research into, yeah, artists' lives so I can kind of enrich my own because I I don't I don't really know what it means to be an artist, and I think that's cool. I'm I'm just making it up.

I I love it. Like, I look. I'm faking all of this. This is I'm not even a real person. I'm a puppet for all of this.

I I remember before I move into this next question, I I remember at one point in this this podcast, it's, probably a couple years ago at this point, but I talked to the founder and curator of the American Visionary Arts Museum in in Baltimore, and, the she she researched me, and I had, like, a bio sitting out there. My bio was so dumb. Didn't know what to put in there, but it was literally things that I liked. So it was just like take it was like 3 comedians, and then, you know, where and I I wrote in it 3 these these 3 different comedians and, you know, the temperament of Shinsuke Nakamura, which was my favorite wrestler at the time. And she's like, I don't know who any of these people are.

I know one of these dudes is Japanese, and he's a comedian, so, like, what are we doing here? And then I see you, and she was like, I wasn't expecting that. And we had a really cool conversation that is almost a separate podcast. We talked for, like, 2 hours. We did an interview, but then we kinda got to know each other, and it was like us trading off on, being curious about what each other's backgrounds were.

That's cool. Yeah. It's like you never know what you're gonna learn. Yeah. I don't know.

Yeah.

And and and and that takes me to this, and it kinda aligns a little bit. So I wanna talk about creative process. So that's that's definitely one thing, and I know it's multiple lanes. So, you know, it's expand on it as much as you would like between the lanes. But I'll say, and I've noticed this and I've tried to get better at it, and I put these parameters in place that, you know, enables me to be at my best because I always have trouble starting.

That's always a thing for me. Like, it's almost like, go, just talk in front of people. It's like, I got nothing. You know? But if it's like, hey, insert yourself into a conversation, and then then I can kind of have a bit control in it.

I find the whole thing challenging, and I've always described this podcast as like blind dating with artists. You know what I mean? This is like, oh, I hope I made an impression. So, you know, talking about your process, like, generally, but could you include, like, you know, sort of what you find the most difficult within the process, and what do you find the most exciting part of the process?

I think one of the exciting parts is when you're, like for instance, for me, I'm I'm, like, physically doing something. I'm drawing. I'm sewing. I'm I'm doing something with my hands, and I'm I'm trying to arrange things and figure out the equation, whether it's a client's need for, like, some sort of illustration or if it's like, an archival box sculpture I'm making for an application. It's like aiming towards, like, what I actually wanna make when something clicks.

That is, like, the best part. And then you're, like, not done yet, but there's, like, a direction because you're like, oh, yeah. This is looking good. Like, this is exactly the vibe I was going for. This is, like, the This is the look.

This is like the message I wanna give. I love that moment. It's like almost that middle point of just like, oh, yes. Okay. Pick the right fabric.

Did that. I love that. I love that even more than like, oh, it's done. I don't know. You know what I mean?

I don't I don't know. It kind of kicks kicks my gears and I just like, get really into it. I those are the days where I'm like, I work 14 hours. I think the hardest part is there is, like, no promise of getting that.

Yeah.

I think the only thing that really is, like, the key to that is consistency and just like practicing and being like, and gaining that confidence in your process. So there's like no cheat, cheating in it, you know, which kind of sucks, but it's also like, when it clicks, that's why it's so good. Because it's like, oh, I couldn't even cheat, you know? So, yeah, that's one of the hard things. One other thing that I think is really hard that I've always struggled with is like, the post production stuff like writing and documentation and, like, I don't know.

I feel like I'm I just wanna be like the factory worker that's, like, pumping out the art and then you know? But it all that stuff is important. So Yeah. But it's that's what I struggle with. Yeah.

Like, you know, and thank you. That's it's so so true. I I relate to that where I just wanna, you know, I call it the admin stuff. Any of that post, it's like, look, you know, this is the this is the part, and I'm shy, right, but this is the part of the whole workflow, if you will, that I enjoy. Being able to talk with someone, connect with them, maybe have a few laughs, learn about their work, but directly from them, not something that's, like written online, hearing it directly from the person.

Because I think there's always something like like missed, you know, in it that you get from that that further conversation. But the stuff leading up to it as far as I'm my own booker. Right? So sometimes, people aren't the most kind in email, and then you're like, yeah, you were talking to me, you know, we're, hey, same guy, or even the the sort of post component where, you know, you put it out and you're like, I feel really good about this and confident about this. I think this went well.

And you you hope that, you know, the the partner in this scenario and the conversation feels the the same and will, you know, share it and all of that stuff because at the end of the day, it's a, you know, mutually beneficial thing. You're able to share sort of your story as authentic as you'd like it to be, you know, in this in this, you know, sort of medium. And, you know, I'm happy to have the conversation. And but you hope that that goes well, but I'm always sort of, like, questioning if it went well, if it didn't, and so on, and what that response might be. Sometimes I turn it down, but when you feel like or when I feel like I really I did a really good interview, and it's like, I felt a little flat.

Damn. Yeah. It's it's one of those things where you're never quite, like, sure how it's gonna turn out, but this is the part that I always try to capture that, you know, it's, it's sort of a a a good partner. There there was one interview not too too long ago where I just was like I just felt like I had nothing for it. I, you know, I tried to give my my best, but I just felt like I didn't do a particularly good job at my job.

And that was the one of those rare instances in doing this piece where I felt like, okay, I might not be good at this. So in in putting it out later, the the guest was like, no. This is great. I had a great time. And I was like, that kind of filled that back up.

But doing this part of it, which usually I'm super confident and happy about, I was just unsure. So getting that sort of follow-up feedback felt felt really good to kinda, you know, make me keep doing the the podcast.

Yeah. No. I think I honestly, I agreed to do this because when I looked up your name, I was like, oh my god. There's so many episodes. Like, you've been doing this.

And then when I listened to it, I was like, okay. Yeah. There has been like you've been you've done like 500 episodes. Right?

Close to 800.

88100. It was like something why? And I was like, oh my god. And he, like, wants to interview me. That's awesome.

That's cool. I think I mean, what does it matter if that one didn't click? Because you have, what, 799 other? You know, it's it's almost like one one little thing doesn't matter when it's like you've been doing it for years. Yeah.

And it's the it's the the the big body of it, you know, of any of these these things that, you know, artists do that people creating something and they feel passionate about that they're they're doing. It's like, yeah. You, you know, wrote maybe this chapter wasn't your your best. Maybe you should've edited it a little bit longer, but, you know, you were able to put it out there as the rep sometimes. Mhmm.

So I've shared a little bit with you before I got started that before we got started with the mic in earnest, that I became aware of your work, I believe, like, in June, aware of you as an artist, obviously, but then aware of your some of your work. And it was, the mural, locals only. I was just, like, walking around aimlessly in Chicago. I may have been leaving a, a food tour. We'll talk about that later.

But I'm curious. How how did it come about? Could you describe it for us for those who are undipped? What is what was the mural? What's Locals Only?

Yeah. I will start by describing it.

Please.

Locals Only is a window and floor mural I painted that is up at the 360 Chicago observation deck. That's on the 94th floor at the John Hancock Center. So it's a bunch of hand painted tiles with the like, the Chicago star. It has, like, kind of a checkered vibe. And then why do I keep saying vibe?

Yikes. Sorry. And then, no. Sorry.

You got it.

You got it. And then, I have, there's, like, a set of windows that kinda separate that room from the rest of the floor, and it has different vignettes of, like, Chicago neighborhoods. And this came about honestly because the marketing team had seen my previous work.

Yeah.

And funny enough, the the person one of the people on the marketing team, actually someone I went to high school with, and, like, you know, we didn't stay in contact for much long like, very long, but they saw my stuff and my social media and just realized, like, oh, perfect artist for this floor. So I'm I'm really excited that that that happened. So yeah.

I I I love the color in it. I love when there's themes that connect to to a city, to a place like, yeah, as I was, you know, sharing, like, you know, this started here, started in Baltimore really as a thing. They like highlight what's what I like about Baltimore, what's cool about Baltimore, and it's extended to looking for sort of that same vibe in other cities. Yeah. I I did I did the smug sniff too.

Oh my god. No. I don't know why it's happening. It's like not I feel like I used it ironically for too much, and now it's like in my vocabulary and I'm noticing it. You know?

It's like when you get snooped in an accent and you can't get out of it.

Yeah. Exactly.

But what was the what was the the the the key piece of, like, imagery that you you were definitely passionate? Like, you know, I I really want to have this and it just has to be in there like that is maybe a hallmarks, maybe a signature for you that not only was it sort of the request to to work in this capacity, but also it's like, put a little bit of my myself in it, what I find special about Chicago, what have you?

Well, so when they first reached out, I actually got a tour of the whole space, and I got an understanding of, like, what their branding was as a tour attraction, which was very much, like, focused on educating guests on, like, the local Chicago. So I I guess, like, the Chicago outside of the skyscrapers down town, you know, like, the neighborhoods, like, the communities that really make up Chicago. And so I really appreciated that, especially as someone that grew up in Chicago and is based there now. So I knew I had to do something with neighborhoods. But at the same time, when I was first given this this project, it was only meant to be a floor mural.

Before this, there was an artist that did, like, kind of a 3 d mural where it looked like you were, like, on a on a crazy lift and, like, looking down on the skyscraper. So it was supposed to be, like, only a floor thing. But when I saw the room, I was like, oh, you should let me do the windows too. Like, give me, like, the whole thing, you know. One of their requests also was, like, we want this to be, like, a photogenic room, you know.

That is something that's that's a way people are interacting with places and and, I don't know, in spaces. But, so yeah, I knew that it had to be a busy floor because realistically, it's like there's millions of people that visit this space, and it also I didn't mention this. It's on the 94th floor in an open air room, so the windows are, like, grace. So you can feel the air. You can hear the city.

When it's snowing, it's snowing in there too. You know? So it's like it has to endure a lot. And I I know it's only gonna last maybe, like, a year or 2, but even with a little bit of destruction, I want it to be a busy enough design where it would still look good. So I feel like I achieved that, which I'm really happy about.

But, yeah, that was it was, like, kind of a balance of, like, being logical about this like, the actual space

Yeah.

And then the request of the marketing team, but then also just being, like, I wanna do this in my style and, like, just have fun and pitch ideas. And if they say yes, then help. You know?

I love that. Like, you know, I get more and more opportunities in being able to to listen to folks who, like like you're describing, of like, yeah, this this aligns for 1, and I'm able to do it in my style and kinda pitch ideas. It feel feels more you know, it's a it's a client situation, but it feels more collaborative, more partnership oriented. And I've been learning more and more about the delineation between the the 2. And, you know, there are times where, you know, if someone will ask me, hey, can you do some interviews, but do it in this way?

And I'm like, oh, I don't know about that. Like, why would you hire me? You know, I'd I'd do this, you know, and those really cool ones when someone expresses what the vision is and especially, you know, some of the things like I, you you know, during the summer, I I did the, I did some, interviews for our big arts festival, Artscape, and I was there, like, sort of lie one location. And generally, you know, I'm like, I'm not really sure what to do, but having that time and that experience and conversations that that touch on things similarly to this, that I'm like, well, this is what I was planning. This is what I had in mind.

This is generally what I do. How does that fit into the scope of what you guys are doing? Because in in some ways, it's yeah. I was working with the marketing team. It's trying to support this initiative to highlight this event, but also show all of the cool things attached to it and really highlight the creative economy, quote, unquote, of Baltimore.

Yeah. Honestly, I kind of love that dynamic of, like, something a little bit more structured like a marketing team and then a creative, like, a challenge. Because sometimes when it's, like, do anything, that is just, like, too broad where you're like, okay, and they're like and and give it to us whenever. It's like, no, like we need we need deadline. We need to get this done.

What are you talking about? Do any, you know? So I kinda I love kind of that push and pull of, like, we need this done. We need this then. This is our budget, and this is what we want, and this is the space.

I'm like, yes. Bada bing, bada boom. Maybe it's the Chicago in me probably.

It it gives you almost the, opportunity to almost over deliver where, you know, they were like, yeah. Whenever you get it back to us, and I was like, I can get this back to you guy to you guys in, like, 2 days. You know? Yeah. It would all be edited back to you guys in 2 days.

How do you want it packaged? You know, I I go full production mindset. You know?

Exactly. Yeah. I mean, you have to. I there's I don't know. When you when you're doing something that other people would wanna be doing, you just I feel like you need to have that mindset, you know.

Yeah. Otherwise, nothing gets done.

So I I wanna move into a cup a couple of questions I have around so so do the textile work. I I see sort of this use of I see your use of, like, quote, unquote, unconventional fabrics. I may have left it out from somewhere. And I'm particularly interested in is it a Hanbok for my mother?

Yeah. It's it's called a Hanbok.

Hanbok?

Yeah. So that is a I'll just, this is a piece that's titled Kyungmi, which is my mom's first name. It's a Hanbok, which is a traditional Korean dress. And it's a Hanbok I made actually covered in dry cleaning tags. They're all handwritten, collected from her dry cleaning shop.

This is like a really intense project. It's like one of those things where you're like, you're done and you realize how much time it took and you're like, why did I do that? That's nuts. But yeah. So it is, Oh, man.

I feel like it was just like this this idea. First off, it's like I grew up in a dry cleaners basically waiting for my mom to get off work. She she ran a dry cleaners and like an alterations shop. And, yeah, I where do I start? There's so much.

I've always been around clothing, so I think the idea of making a garment was really important to me, and this is kind of how I explored that. You know? Before that, I was kind of making just more, like, what I was comfortable with this kind of more, like, 2 d art. But, yeah, I made this Humboldt that actually fits my body, and I've worn it on a couple occasions. I don't know.

I can call it performance or not. I feel it's kind of interesting talking about it now because every time I say it's a performance piece, people are, like, expecting me to dance in it. And it's kind of asking for movement because it's like these tassels of tags. You know, it's it's heavy. But I I don't that's not me.

You know, that's not the piece. So, yeah, that is a piece that's kind of like an paying homage to my mother and but also all the mothers and fathers that come and immigrate to this country and and give us the opportunities of this country. I don't know. It's like a certain weight of being 2nd generation. Yeah.

There's not there's there's not many words. I feel like yeah.

No. I mean, 1, you know, I had so many questions that in the next question I have because it's sort of the volume or have you. But the image that I saw of it and doing that that diver, that bigger dive into the research and checking through your website and your Instagram, I was like, wow. How many how many tags are here? Like, how many tickets?

How how did you, you know I got you asked the question about sourcing them, where do they come from, but, wow. How you know, do you remember how many there were to build this out?

Oh my god. I this is probably, like, me asking my mother not to throw these tags out for, like, 2 to 3 years, except this is not all of them. This is this is just probably a couple 100, couple thousand. I don't know. You know?

I will tell you it was, like, 2 years of my time. It's also something it wasn't like I was consistently working on this. When I was working on this piece, I was still, like, working other jobs. Right now, I'm a full time artist, but I was kind of juggling. This was kind of like a ritual I had.

Yeah. I don't know. These are the types of works that really brought me closer to myself, my family, and my my culture, and just I think it's really I don't know. It's been a really nice, like, opportunity to explore this curiosity through literally making. I feel like there's so many things that it's just, like, I can't put into words, and there's, like, nothing, you know, there's nothing else I can do other than just, like, make beautiful things about it.

I love it. I I love being able to explore curiosity. And, you know, that's one of the things that, you know, I hear, and I I can't help but but smile and show off my, my giant teeth when I'm talking to folks about it.

I have done it too. I have done it too.

Because, you know, I was I was you had mentioned, you know, New York a little briefly earlier, and I I was just up there visiting, you know, one of my friends and going to, I went to, like, anime expo, what have you, which was a while ago's press. And I'm like, this is amazing. And, we were just talking about just chasing, like, curiosity and just we just literally talk like I have. And I'm like, Yeah, man, I'm curious about this and I want to do this and I'm going to explore this. You know, I wanna be safe, though, you know, like certain things.

It's like, what's down that alley? I'm not sure. Maybe check going to daytime.

Those are things you should be more careful about being curious about. But but in

so this this next part of the question, it relates to, I guess, this this other piece I saw which, again, volume. So we love our customers. So thousands of sewing pins in an imperfect grid. So one, what what was the timing on that? And how many times did you prick yourself?

Like, you know, is there is there blood in there somewhere that we can see? Like, what what do we got?

Yeah. That was a piece that was probably like a year probably took a year. It's, like, also the largest archival box I've made. So I make these boxes using bookbinding methods. I have a background in bookmaking, which is, like, kind of a little niche practice, but I I love it, and I I use it in my practice.

But this is a box that held a, like, foam piece of foam with all of these sewing pins in there, and it was kinda set on a grid based on, like, my my optical, you know, view of it, not, like, actually drawing a perfect grid. I kinda love that, like, any evidence of, like, a human hand, I love, whether it's in my drawings or my sculptures. I I feel like that's super necessary. I also love in these pieces that it has to show my time. There has there's, like, something about the dedication of time and and paying homage with that to not just, like, my parents, my grandparents, but, like, my ancestors.

I think throughout this work, I've had the opportunity to learn a little bit more about not just my family history, but just, like, the historical context of Korea coming from Korea to America. And it's like I don't it just brought me a lot of gratitude and a way way better outlook on who I am and where I come from. Pretty simple. Yeah. K.

Like, really deep print pieces. But lately, the more I talk about them, I'm like, yeah. It's just I I don't know. It brought me closer to my family. It's cool.

That's it's sometimes it's the the simplest answer. It has the the the largest rewards in it. And yeah. I think in you know, it's this it's this thing, like, a couple years ago, we were talking about landmarks here, and I'm big on the cultural preservation piece. And the thing that was requested was, it was a audio archive of memories about this, famous market here in Baltimore, and it they were like, what was your favorite memory of this market?

And I was like, born there with my dad when I was young, and we would go there and get, you know, candy from this stall, and I will always smell peanuts, and I'm really, like, going back and thinking about it, you know, like that experience very vividly. And I was, like, nice to hang on with my dad a lot, you know, just thinking about all of these these sort of different things and thinking about what will we do after that. Oh, go to see my grandma and and and spend time with this relative and and my dad's friends and all of these these different things, things that I didn't think about it for a while. And that the root of that all came from, hey, we know you do this podcast. It has this archival slant to it.

Would you be interested in being part of this archive here and share your story about Baltimore? So it's like poking on the love of Baltimore, the history of Baltimore, your own personal sort of history, and just connecting back. And as you remember, I I pinged my dad, and I was like, yo, like, literally, that's how we talk to each other. Yo, I covered you in this this thing for Lexington Market, and I I sent it to him, and just this sort of epic knowledge prize, like, it's good. Glad you remember that.

I was just, like, yeah, bore my soul. Thanks.

He's like, cool. Yeah. Good job. Yeah.

You remember that? Yeah. Those candies were pretty good.

So you're like, oh, I totally poured my soul into that. Yeah. Oh my god.

So this is the last real question I got for you before I move to the rapid fire ones. And, so, you know, I touched on a little bit, that, you know, sort of being aware of your work was part of my first real trip to Chicago. I went to the suburbs previously. I went to Elgin and it was a show. I went there for some wrestling thing for 80W when they first started and they were at the Sears something or other out there.

The only Chicago ish thing that I did that week was I went to Portillo's. That was that was it.

Okay. So I got

I got those marks right. But going there, this this most recent time and and so being aware of your work as a part of this, I feel like I had a really cool, like, Chicago experience. I did the little touristy thing, but my natural thing is I wanna find the cracks and crevices. I wanna see, you know, what's around and walking to different places and, you know, checking out the city and really, like, getting getting a grasp of it. So if you will, could you share how, like, growing up in Chicago, as you're Chicagoan, proud Chicagoan, how does this influence your your style, your practice?

Talk a bit about the Chicago in you.

Oh, man. It is such a huge part of my creative identity right now, like, professionally, which is really interesting. I feel like if you were to ask me this younger, I wouldn't expect this. But, I think I'm really grateful my parents immigrated here. Chicago is a city that is, like there's so many opportunities here.

Growing up here, I was able to go to, like, free after school art classes where it's, like, at a high school age, I'm in a room with a working artist teaching me about painting, you know, sending myself in environments like that. Like, Chicago really provided that. And not just, like, at a high school level, but, like, volunteering and then even going to the art institute, different internships, different communities, like printmaking communities. And I don't know. There's just so much in this city, but at the same time, it's not as large as, like, New York or LA.

Or maybe I wouldn't say large, but just, like, the frequency, like, the, like, turnover. And so it just feels like like people are actually sitting and having conversations and supporting each other and, like, like, sharing information and ideas and and resources. So that honestly has, like, made my entire career literally starting from, like, someone helping me from the after school arts program to get me into college at a prestigious art school that is in the city so I don't have to pay for the dorm. I can still, like, commute. So, like, financially, it was possible to, you know, being an artist.

Luckily, if if I was out, like, even in the suburbs of Chicago, it's like, there's only so many community centers or, like, art centers or studios that you could actually kind of get into. Yeah. So I think about that, like, the benefits of, like, all the programs. And now it's like, I am an alumni of this or I am I was a part of this residency group. It's like, that that is really valuable.

That has brought different opportunities now, you know, which is really cool. And then I think in terms of style, like, there because it is a city and there's so much resources being exchanged, there's things like museums, but also just like gallery shows and I don't know. So much stuff is I'm just being constantly exposed, whether it's something that's happening at work. For instance, like, a rule I had for myself when I graduated art school was you need to work, like, something art related, whether it's, like, being around other artists or you're teaching art or something. So, like, teaching art, that is, like, I'm still working my progress or my processes.

I have access to facilities. Yeah. Then, also, there's I don't know. Being around artists was always important to me. That's what's, like, kept me in the game, honestly.

It I think if I just kind of strayed, it would've just kind of became this, like, idea rather than, like like, a dream idea of, like, a dream job rather than just realizing, like, okay. This person's an artist because they do this, and they've they said so. And then just kinda you know? Yeah. Yeah.

I don't know if that that's a big one. Chicago. Yeah. I have a love hate with Chicago too, so I don't know. Anyone from Chicago should say that.

No. I think that's I think that's a great answer. I think that's a super valid answer, and I felt that that part particularly where it's just like I did the I did the business degree thing. Like I said, I wanted to be an illustrator when I was younger, and then, you know, I would hear from my parents, like, I don't know if you're gonna make that money in the art world. I don't know if that's gonna be the move.

Comic book illustrator? You sure? And, you know, I'm 64, so it's just like, why don't you play football? What are you doing? Like, poetry, what is what are these, like, things that you're you're doing that aren't what you look like?

Leverage your size and, literally leverage your size. And, you know, I I think I kinda almost gave up the the ghost of what a little bit and but, really, I think it was more of a shift. I think it was always gonna be and you you you touched on as far as, like, I need to be around artists. I need to be around art, and I think it was that. Like, I'm a creative person or what have you, and I'm always wanting to be around it and trying to, in some ways, prove a point, some ways, follow curiosity, in other ways, extend what someone looks at as a as art.

Like, you know, whose stories matter, things of that nature is what I'm trying to prove in this podcast over and over again or even the concept of podcasting. I get into fights behind the scenes all the time of what it is. I'm not saying that it's capital a, e r, but I'm saying that this could be a medium that allows folks who you know, a couple years ago, when everyone was, you know, remote, you know, there was some theater that was done via this. So is that the theatrical performance not theater anymore, and is theater not art and and things of that nature? So I start having those sorts of conversations, but all it's all rooted in being around sort of artists to make me seem more interesting than I actually am.

I'll reference you in conversation.

It's because it's more fun. Sorry.

We're driving.

Being around people with, like, no imagination. No. I don't know. But also, I sometimes I actually enjoy people that are like, they're just like, oh, you know, I'm a financial consultant, and then they're like, I don't have a creative bone in my body. And I'm like, you don't know what they're talking about.

I don't know. It's just kinda fun because I think looking at art through their perspective also is kinda refreshing. And that's, I think, the side of it's like when you look at the two sides of my art, it's kinda funny. 1 is kinda like capital a art where maybe you'd see it more, like, in a special collections, like, library. And then the other is more just kind of, like, commercial, I guess, because they are commissioned illustrations and murals.

But there's, like, a removal of my identity. And so, yeah, I don't know what I'm trying to say. But, yeah. I don't.

I I hear that. And I did this thing couple years ago and, you know, always trying to find funding, always trying to find patrons, if you will. And I did some ghost podcasts, and, you know, just kind of an emcee, and I was like, did I put my name on this? You know, because it's it's no me in there. It's none of the references.

It's just like, give us this bland chicken. Can you boil it? Did you did you put salt on air? Don't put salt. Definitely do not put pepper on air.

That was essentially, like, what the request was, and I learned from it. And, again, it was sort of that that curiosity thing, and it was commission capitalistic, and I was just like, that's not really what I wanna do. Like, you know, people ask me, you know, why do you do this? Why do you do so many episodes? And so I was like, because I love it, and I I enjoy it.

And I listen to old interviews before it got all social media ed out and, you know, things of that nature, and you listen to musicians, artists, and it's like, I'd love to do this. I have to get this out. You know? And I that's what I feel, and that's why I just kinda go back to that and always check-in from that standpoint.

Yeah. I think that's important. Yeah. Consistency again.

Alright. So now is the the part of the the podcast that we all enjoy, Swamper Fiore portion.

I feel like you should have some sound effects in here like pew pew pew.

You know what? It was if I used to do that, I had that in there, we had a sickbay called a new challenger, and we would just have the Street Fighter theme playing. Here comes a new challenger for each story we would discuss.

Nice. I'm gonna be honest. I have no idea what that sounds like. But Oh,

it's like, here here comes a new challenger, and it's just the guy like, infantry fighter.

Always that, but they, like, spin

in. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. So I got 4 of them for you.

I've been adding as we've been talking. So here's the first one. I I gotta ask because, like I said, I had some really good food when I was in Chicago. So I gotta ask you, what is this the quintessential Chicago food to you?

Oh my god. Everyone's gonna say, like, hot dog. Right? I feel like this this spot this spot has a lot of clout, but I I'm just gonna shout it out. It's there's a Jewish deli called Manny's that I love.

It's like one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. It's cafeteria style. I know I'm Korean, but, like, yeah, there's something about that Jewish deli that feels very Chicago. I think it's like, it's the energy when you come in the dude's the way they like serve you the food. I there's parking.

It's so good. There's parking, you know, There's parking. That's really important. Yeah. I think the the cake shake is like a big one at the portill at Portillo's at the Portillo's.

Yeah. Lately, though, I'm gonna be honest, I feel like I'm cooking more in the house, and there's just, like, so many, like, trendy spots popping up that I'm, like, I'm not sure which spot is the best for ramen, and I've had a lot of bad ramen as well. This isn't my problem with New York. It's like you get there and it's so big that every yeah. Sure.

There's good food here, but it's like, what you gotta, like, really dig. Yeah. You know? But, yeah, I I'm gonna vouch for mannies. That's what I'm I'm gonna say.

Okay. Let's see. Look. I took note down. I I have it, like, cute.

I I have it like this this running list of places to visit, and I have it indexed by city. So when I go back, it's like, alright, Katie. I don't know. I don't know about Manny's. Because I don't I'm gonna hold you to it.

I'm gonna hold you to it. I think it's gonna be good, though. I trust you. I trust you.

That the food people, like, get for catering for, like, a funeral. It's, like, good. You know what I mean? There's, like, respect.

A really good description.

And, like and there's so many things. Oh, and it's, like, fun. There's so many places to sit where if you're a type of person that doesn't wanna sit near anybody, there's plenty of seating. Like, no one's gonna sit next to you. There's definitely an option.

And before you leave, there's, like, a coffee candy shop, kinda old school. So you can, like, go in there and get your little coffee and go and get your little candy by the pound. I just let you know, I it's like a little moment.

You you you're selling a ticket. You're selling tickets there because it's like, oh, I get to be off putting and I get coffee and candy to go? I'm here for

there, like, forever. I don't know. I'm I'm not gonna say, like, it's, like, 50 years or something, but it's been there forever, which is I'm always into that.

That's great. So here's the next one I got for you. So say someone's, visiting Chicago, and this is purely through your lens because we we don't do the, you know, tourist y thing purely through your lens. What's one place you would recommend they have to visit? They're there for a 3 day weekend.

You know, we you know, as we're recording this, we have one coming up. So you know?

I I'm gonna give you 2 answers. If you're stuck downtown, because sometimes that just is how it is, the cultural center is my favorite building in all of Chicago. It's a free building to go into. There's, like, beautiful mosaics in there. The history is interesting.

I think it's, like, Chicago's first library or something something with the Chicago fire and all. I'm not gonna I'm an artist. You know? I'm not a historian. Something about but it's just, like, insanely beautiful in there.

And then there's always, like, free art exhibitions in there. That's that's a spot that I love. And then there is I'm gonna say a museum just because I'm an artist, but there's an a museum called Intuit Art Center, and they highlight outsider artists, which is kind of, like, not traditional artists. People that are, like I don't I don't know. That feels so rude.

But just kind of people that are kind of outside of the vein of, like, institution art. And they always just have cool stuff. And it's a museum that's not insanely large, so you're like, this is what my entire day will be. You know? And it's kind of it's in West Town, so you can just, like, go explore the neighborhood and actually get something to eat around there.

So Intuit Art Center.

Nice. Hey. 2 more. 2 more. So I I'm curious as to I've read this this book about habits, creative artist habits.

As an artist, how does your day typically start? Is it screaming? Is it with a cup of coffee?

Yeah. It is usually with a cup of coffee with my fiance and my dog. It's pretty chill, which is nice, but it starts with emails. Lately, I'm trying to switch that. I'm trying to switch not starting work with emails.

I'm trying to go straight into projects. I have a couple of deadlines due soon. So there's something about waking up, having, like, the breakfast and coffee thing. And then I have to do something physical, like stretch or kinda, like, move around. Thing about having a dog is having to walk them.

So that happens, kind of like moving my body around. And then, yeah, just kind of getting into honestly, whatever deadline is up the next. You know, I have a list always here. It's never ending. One thing gets crossed and the next thing gets put, like, you know, then another thing will get put on.

It's blurred, but, yeah. And sometimes it's like sometimes it's me sitting here like a maniac drawing on 500 sheets of tracing paper trying to, like, build out a skyscraper image. You know? Or it's sitting on my iPad, being an iPad kid trying to get all of the, like, the file ready, print ready. Yeah.

Every day kinda changes. I think that's the best thing about being an artist. Every every day is a little different because otherwise, I get really bored.

So here's the last one, and this is the one that artists get especially in in in the in the visual bit to get really tight about. But I gotta ask, what's your favorite color?

Oh, my favorite color right now is kind of this sweater that I'm wearing. I love, like, a marigold yellow. Maybe because we're, like, ending summer going into fall, and it has both both kind of are in that in that season. Oh, it's also just really pretty, and I feel like I've been seeing marigolds around. So right now, I like what color.

It's a great answer. Painless. Painless answer. I love it. So that's kind of it.

So, 1, I wanna thank you for for coming on to this podcast and spending some time with me. And, and 2, I wanna invite and encourage you to share with the listeners social media website, all of that good stuff. Any final thoughts? The floor is yours.

Yeah. So you can find my website atkatiechung.com, katiechung. And then, you can find my Instagram at Katie Chung art. Try to make that easy to search for me. And, yeah, that's that's about it.

And there

you have it, folks. I wanna again thank Katie Chung for coming on and spending some time with us and sharing a bit of her story. And I'm Rob Lee saying that there's art, culture, and community in and around your neck of the woods. You've just got to look for it.