Exploring Artistic Boundaries: A South Korean Artist Harnessing Her Body as a Masterpiece
Dain Yoon, the extraordinary South Korean artist, ingeniously transforms her body into captivating distortions, creating whimsical, subversive, and mind-bending illusions that will leave you in awe
When Dain Yoon began painting surreal self-portraits on her own skin, she felt like people in South Korea saw her as a "dokkaebi," a type of Korean goblin. One of her viral photographs showed her face painted onto fingernails with her flowing black hair, which drew internet comments describing it as a "hairy manicure."
Reflecting on the photograph, she said, "I thought it was cute when I made it, but I guess many people found it scary." She spoke to CNN via video call from the US, where she currently resides.
With vibrant pink hair and a shirt featuring a surreal print of disembodied body parts, Yoon could have easily stood out in her hometown of Seoul. However, in New York, no one seems to even notice—and she absolutely adores it.
In one of Yoon's self-portraits, she transforms herself into a mesmerising geometric 3D creation by painted triangular shapes in light and dark.
Dain Yoon
At 30 years old, she remarked that her images gained the most recognition in Europe and the US. After her work went viral in 2016, it was only then that she received attention in her home country, she mentioned. “What they value is that I received recognition from the American press,” Yoon remarked. "Not only me, but many Korean artists and singers. More Koreans appreciate it if they receive recognition from overseas."
Yoon's mind-bending, photorealistic optical illusions have caught the attention of musicians such as Halsey and James Blake, leading to collaborations and even an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Her work has expanded to include commercials for Estée Lauder, BMW, Apple, and Adidas, as well as features in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Yoon's unique style of body painting blurs the lines between herself and the background, prompting viewers to question whether any post-production editing was involved.
Yoon's dedication to her craft is evident in the lengthy process she undertakes for each shoot, which involves only herself, a mirror, a camera, and body paint, taking between three and twelve hours. This commitment has led her to forgo using models, as she did not want to take up so much of another person's time.
"View from my studio" (2021) features the artist seamlessly integrating herself into the picturesque New York cityscape visible from her studio window. Explore the gallery for more captivating pieces by Dain Yoon.
Dain Yoon
While images like "Miss Universe 2022" may be unsettling to some, Yoon said she wants her work to be playful and expressive.
Dain Yoon
It's hard to see what's paint and what's the artist in "Drawer" (2018)
Dain Yoon
Rather than concealing her identity, the emojis used in 2002's "What I'm made of" express how Yoon was feelingand communicatingat the time.
Dain Yoon
In "Portrait 2019," the artist expressed the feeling she was made up of pieces woven together.
Dain Yoon
"Hair nails" (2017) was one of the pieces that brought Yoon viral fame.
Dain Yoon
For her 2023 piece "Sleepless Night," Yoon lit a candle in a waxwork based on her own image to mark her 30th birthday.
Dain Yoon
Feeling sharp and sensitive at the time, Yoon painted this self-portrait earlier this year to capture the moment.
Dain Yoon
The artist painted an earlier piece "Hallucinogenic Dain" at her family home in South Korea in 2017.
Dain Yoon
"Falling Angels" (2019) is Yoon's twist on classical paintings of cherubs.
Dain Yoon
Surreal selfies: This artist uses her own body as a canvas
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Captivating distortions
Yoon's work has been described as dizzying and unsettling, with distorted facial features and unsettling imagery. However, unnerving viewers was never her intention, as she prefers to inject humor into her art. She often uses self-portraits as a way to playfully express her inner emotions. For example, a cubist-style piece reflects her sharp and sensitive feelings, while other pieces like "Let it flow" and "Miss Universe" showcase the curves of her face and neck in unique ways.
"Its kind of contradictory, sarcastic," she said, reflecting on the latter piece. "Because for me, this is beautiful."
The artist painted an earlier piece "Hallucinogenic Dain" at her family home in South Korea in 2017.
Dain Yoon
Yoon's artwork "What I'm made of" showcases her entire face covered in a combination of smiley faces, lightbulbs, hearts, and other emojis that represent her identity. The emojis have made her features blurry and only vaguely recognizable, but instead of hiding her true self, Yoon explained that they accurately captured her feelings and mode of communication during her first year in the US.
Miss Nicaragua is crowned the winner of the 2023 Miss Universe pageant.
"After moving to America, I've noticed that I use emojis a lot more. It's just so much easier than having to find the right words in English. It's like I can convey everything with just a few emojis," she explained while miming texting. "Before, I used to try and explain things with words and sentences, but now a single tiny emoji says it all."
For her 2023 piece "Sleepless Night," Yoon lit a candle in a waxwork based on her own image to mark her 30th birthday.
Dain Yoon
The exploration of being a stranger in a completely new world is part of a new creative direction that is taking her away from dealing with the challenging emotions she experienced as a young woman in South Korea. "I've become a more stable, stronger person," Yoon commented on her move to New York.
"I have this secret diary that I always write in whenever I feel very sad or unwell," Yoon revealed. "I used to write once a week, and now the last time I wrote was two months ago."
