Interview: Chun Han
Luca Curci talks with Chun Han during the 8th Edition of ROME INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR, at ITSLIQUID Monti – Rome Art Space.

“Chun Han is a photographer and creative director based in New York. She graduated with a Fashion Photography master’s degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Her photography and video work focus on the relationship between humans and the social environment and serve as a means of processing her own trauma from current social events. Chun’s work often explores the social challenges faced by Asian women, particularly in regard to body identity. Her photography and video work are full of theatrical and surrealist elements, with the aim of triggering broad thinking and associations in the viewer.”

Luca Curci – When you take photos, are you usually inspired by the situation, or do you find inspiration in yourself?
Chun Han – I draw my primary inspiration from within, viewing photography as a profound form of self-expression. When I embark on a creative journey, I have a unique ability to imbue the situation with the very essence and significance that I wish to convey. As a photographer, I see myself as an advocate for those who seek support, equality, and justice, including my own struggles in certain circumstances. The world is rife with countless issues, and many people lack the platform to voice their concerns. In response, I aspire to make my photography a meaningful contribution toward fostering a better world, where voices that were once marginalized find resonance and empowerment.

LC – Is there an unrealised or unrealisable project, even a crazy one, that you would like to work on?
CH – I really want to photograph a lot of Asian nudity, either women or men or bodies together. I am aware that this subject has been successfully captured by numerous accomplished photographers, but for me personally, it presents challenges in terms of reaching out to subjects and overcome my own concerns. Confronting my own lingering feelings of shame regarding sex and the human body, which have deep roots in Asian culture, remains a significant hurdle. I believe that these struggles are shared by many within the Asian community. Should I embark on this project, it would symbolize a powerful deconstruction of my inner conflicts. By using photography as a medium, I aim to shed light on these taboos, dismantle societal constraints. While this path may be arduous, I see it as an opportunity to not only create art but also to embark on a journey of selfdiscovery and empowerment.

LC – How important is the editing process in your work? How’s yours?
CH – I would limit editing process to the minimal, only to eliminate those that would be really disturbing. I value the moment that I took the photo and would cherish the original and raw texture at that moment the most.

LC – What are the three hashtags essential to define your poetics that you could not give up?
CH – Serene, Dreamlike, Intimate

LC – Can you explain something about the artworks you have in our exhibition?
CH – The still images that I present are from my video work Silencing, which is a conceptual video was created during the pandemic. It abstractly reflecting the relationship between human beings and society and how they were intertwined in seeking freedom and mind liberation.

LC – In which way the artwork presented in our exhibition is connected with the exhibition’s theme?
CH – The theme of this exhibition analyzes the relationship between body and space, and the hybridization between identities and cultural/physical/social/urban settings in contemporary times. Through my video and still photos, I endeavor to visually depict the intricate interplay between two individuals and the space they inhabit. The black box setting serves as a canvas to magnify their inner selves, effectively symbolizing the prevalent sense of contemporary anxiety and our complex relationship with reality. My artistic intention is to encapsulate these emotions, exploring the human psyche and its profound connection to the surrounding environment. By presenting this intimate portrayal, I aim to evoke a deeper understanding of the complexities that shape our existence in the modern world.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
CH – I think ITSLIQUID GROUP really provide a large platform that for people who lack of resources to present themselves to a larger space and audience, especially for us who is not local, and also this opportunity can help us to find our community who can relate and empathetic.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
CH – It is a very professional and welcoming platform for artists and a diverse platform for people to find their interests!