Artists

Biography

Mi Kyung Jang’s artistic journey spans various mediums, from sculpture and painting to clay. Despite initially focusing on teaching, her artistic talents emerged early, and her move to New Zealand ignited her pursuit of becoming a professional artist. Training at the Russian Academy of Fine Arts in Florence and later studying at the University of Canterbury propelled her into a full-time artistic career. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in sculpture at the Canterbury School of Fine Arts, Jang actively contributes to the Halswell Pottery Club and volunteers at the 126 Hei Hei Community Art Group, encouraging others to explore their creative potential. Jang’s transformative journey underscores her deep dedication to art as a means of understanding our world and our place in it.

Exhibitions and prize 

2022 Voyage Beyond, Orion Powerhouse Gallery, Akaroa

            Student Series 2022 Exhibition, Group show, Ilam Campus Gallery 

           Te Mataao: Viewfinder Exhibition in Selwyn, Group show, Te Ara Atea 

            The Associates Exhibition, Group show, Art on the Quay-Kaiapoi 

2021 Sculpture on the Peninsular, Group show 

          The Associates Exhibition, Group Show, Ashburton Art Gallery 

         ZONTA Female Art Exhibition, Group Show, Ashburton Art Gallery 

Artist Statement

MiKyung Jang’s art works draw an attention on human relationship with natural world. She believes that excessive human desires have created many uncomfortable issues on earth: wars, pollution, natural disasters, inequality, and rare diseases. These are global issues that have been ignored as  if they are someone else’s problem.  

Since she was a child, she has been curious about human beings; what human beings are, why we are here on earth, what happens when we die and what happens before being born. 

Often, she thinks she lives in a dream, or in other people’s dreams, like living inside of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. Everything in her mind seems like an illusion. 

 She considers herself lucky to have been born and raised in a countryside in Korea. She grew up befriending the animals, insects, and plants. These childhood experiences played an important part in giving her the insight in understanding the natural world and teaching her that humans and nature cannot be disassociated. 

She clears her mind while creating art works. The art works have been produced intuitively while in the process of calming her mind. When she calms down her mind, she feels all the creatures on earth are connected as one. It is like how our body is one figure made up of millions of cells but even one abnormal cell or a cancer cell can impact our lives. She believes that if humans can treat the nature with love, it will return as love. 

The connectedness of all creatures on earth and the love for nature have come through the earthy tones and organic shapes of the forms in works. She would like the viewers to take an opportunity to take their time to slow down and they enjoy visually aesthetic objects for that hold her energy and contemplation of humanity.