Today I have a very interesting fine artist from Korea to feature~  Jeon Mee Yoon and her “Pink and Blue Project“.

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Jeon Mee Yoon has has solo exhibitions all over the world~ Galleries in Spain, China, and even the San Francisco International Airport Museum are in her curriculum vitae.  I have come across her work in passing before, I am almost positive it was from the SFO airport gallery after reading her CV since I did a lot of flying the year she had that exhibit. Yoon graduated in 1992 from the Seoul University Fine Arts Department with a major in painting, followed by a M.F.A from the department of Photographic Design at Hong0Ik University, and finally finishing off her study with another masters degree in Photography and related Media from the School of Visual Arts in New York 2006.

Taken from the artist’s statement:

This project has been ongoing since 2005 when it started at Yoon’s thesis for The School of Visual Arts in New York.  It explores the trends in cultural preferences and the differences in the tastes of children (and their parents) from diverse cultures, ethnic groups as well as gender socialization and identity. The work also raises other issues, such as the relationship between gender and consumerism, urbanization, the globalization of consumerism and the new capitalism.

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The Pink and Blue Project was inspired by Jeon Mee Yoon‘s five-year-old daughter, who loves the color pink so much that she wanted to wear only pink clothes and play with only pink toys and objects, her daughter’s case was not unusual though. In the United States, South Korea and elsewhere, most young girls love pink clothing, accessories and toys. This phenomenon is widespread among children of various ethnic groups regardless of their cultural backgrounds. Yoon states that she feels girls are trained subconsciously and unconsciously to wear the color pink in order to look feminine.

Interestingly enough, pink was once a color associated with masculinity, considered to be a watered down red and held the power associated with that color. The change to pink for girls and blue for boys happened in America and elsewhere only after World War II. As modern society entered twentieth century political correctness, the concept of gender equality emerged and, as a result, reversed the perspective on the colors associated with each gender as well as the superficial connections that attached to them . Today, with the effects of advertising on consumer preferences, these color customs are a worldwide standard.

 

 

Capturing girls rooms was the original goal of this collection, but after she started she realized that little boys have the color blue pushed on them in the form of products just as much as girls have the color pink. They are attracted to blue and from a young age countless of products are often purchased in blue for little boys without thinking because it has become such a subconscious thing in today’s society.

 

 

It’s really something to see it all set out neatly in each room, isn’t it? Social commentary aside, I just love looking at all the toys and little trinkets each child has~ most seem very proud to have all their treasures set out for everyone to see.  What do you think your room would have looked with your genders “default” color set out?  I know mine would have been a sea of pinks, purple, and stuffed cats…. kinda like it is now I guess lol.

One thing to note is that the execution of Yoon’s “Pink and Blue Project” work is similar, but not to be confused with  NY fine artist Portia Munson’s “Pink Project” which was a  series of installation pieces from way back in 1994. Laying out masses of items is nothing new in the art world, but if you enjoy Yoon’s you should check out Munson’s site as well ♥ I figured it was worth mentioning because they are named so similarly ^^; 

These two make hoarding seem so pretty haha.

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this is exactly how it was for my sister and I growing up!! I got purple and she got pink and we both shared a room haha.

Jeon Mee Yoon’s website