Artist Statement

Eugene Kim is a ceramic, digital, and net artist. His work explores the duality of human nature through the use of magical girl tropes, glitch, and multiple online identities through avatars. His work that studies human behavior in a place completely barren of it, stems from the belief that there are two sides to every human - one that they present to the world, and one that they keep hidden. This concept relates to the online world, where individuals have the ability to create and maintain multiple identities, often with intentions to present a certain persona to the world, communities, and subcultures. He has been awarded the Virginia Purcel Award and has shown at the Guggenheim Gallery.

No Comment is a personal exhibition that not only analyzes the parasocial activity that takes place in online spaces, but exposes the overly-present liminality through a 2-channel video piece and a ceramic and sound installation.

The 2-channel video piece, titled Very Real Conversation (Eris) and Very Real Conversation (Kenny), is located in the alcove of the Guggenheim Gallery. Eris is based in the Philippines and Kenny is based in Los Angeles. It will be presented through two 7 inch monitors, similar to the ones streamers use for their stream deck or streaming setup, across from each other. It simulates a real conversation, however, it is completely disjointed, only making sense in small moments. Both people on the screen have a separate series of questions and answers with accidental line ups. This creates an illusion that a coherent conversation could potentially be taking place, but in a language that is not fully understood, or two separate conversations that are coincidentally lining up occasionally. The physical space in between the two screens take the place of the real distance that exists in an online relationship, while the exposed, connected wires serve as the only real connection between these two people.

The installation titled LAN Party contains 8 different avatars made from ceramic and glazed to look rusted and aged, as if they are ancient artifacts from our online era. The figures resemble a chibi-animated figurative style with low, wide eyes, large foreheads, and exaggerated hair. The avatars each fall under various character archetype styles and exist within their own barely human liminal space. Accompanying these figures is an audio piece of the artist and various friends talking over Discord about memories, the internet, games, and other friendly internet banter. The color of the walls and pedestals resemble the color of the Discord chat log interface, allowing for viewers to step into this imagined, impossible space. LAN Party refers to a group of people meeting at a physical location to play games together under the same local area network (LAN).

The juxtaposition between the highly digitized audio and the very physical figures presents the liminality that exists between humanness and information. This liminality exists because the human body is not made of numbers and code. Even though the internet was created by people, the internet only serves a purpose once they interact with it. But there is a space in between that LAN Party uncovers. The rust-like glaze indicates that they exist in a space in time, in contrast to the infinite nature of things made of code. This juxtaposition creates a confusion, as if the work is playing around with a glitch that makes it possible for the internet to physically age. The audio accompanying the piece could also simulate a conversation between the avatars through the internet while they share a physical space together.

This body of work engages into internet art and post-ironic meme culture that are relatively new forms of artistic expression that have emerged with the internet and social media. Although they started off as small subcultures, it has made its presence known. One of the primary characteristics of internet art is that its reach is infinite as long as it exists in digital spaces. Placing something that is designed to be in code, in a physical space challenges the idea that digital objects can only exist in code, and physical objects can only exist in real space and time.

A "parasocial andy" is defined as a fan of an online personality, usually a Twitch streamer, who tends to send expensive gifts or large donations to the streamer as a result of an irregular parasocial relationship with the streamer. The online space allows for these kinds of one-sided relationships where one person extends emotional energy, time, and money, while the other party is completely unaware of the other's existence.

The internet, which is made up entirely of code, fonts, and information is innately non-human. However, on the opposite end, in real life interactions exist. When humans seek intimacy and friendship through online means, they unknowingly create a liminal space that only exists through the tension of "belonging" and "information.

The goal of No Comment is not only to create something that is visually engaging, but also reflects on the worlds around us. This work challenges viewers to consider their own digital footprint, personas, and avatars to understand the complexities of the human experience that exists both online, offline, and in between.

CAKE! will be on view at the Guggenheim Gallery from April 17, 2023 - April 28, 2023

Very Real Conversation, 2023 Installation Shot

Very Real Conversation (Kenny), 2023

Very Real Conversation (Eris), 2023

LAN Party, 2023

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