Chansong Woo

Woo

"A step forward through various failures"

College: Fine Arts
Degree Program: Studio Art
Degree: Master's

Why FSU?

My work has focused on blurring various boundaries ranging from artistic media to art disciplines. When I was searching for MFA programs in the United States, I found one sentence in the FSU MFA program handbook, which is “Our motto is no media boundaries/no boundaries by media.” This one sentence put me on this journey to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree at FSU and has led me to be the artist that I want to be.

Motivation to pursue a graduate degree

For a long time, my artistic practices mainly focused on painting such as oil, acrylic, and watercolor. I wanted to broaden my boundaries not only with just familiar areas but also with new areas that I never experienced before because I wanted to be an artist who can use various materials depending on their subject/theme without any limit. What I realized while studying in the graduate program is that there are so many things I don’t know. That means the more I study, the more I feel I have to learn. That is my motivation.

Importance and/or impact of research and work

My recent installation work is made up of multi-panel achromatic drawings that focus on one social movement in South Korea, the Gwangju Democratization Movement in the city of Gwangju from May 18 to 27, 1980, which symbolizes people’s struggle against military regimes for democracy. Although I never experienced firsthand the movement, as a hinge generation I wanted to discuss two relationships: one between individual memory and trauma, and one between collective memory and trauma (even history) based on my personal narratives in the present. The hazy charcoal drawings with delicate pen strokes represent my memory and its impression because when I try to remember the memory or images that I got from secondary sources, such as photos and documentaries, that is always very blurry and hazy like a picture out of focus. My memory is vulnerable and flawed because it is the recollection from the past and subjective feelings and emotions are involved. The narrative plays as a trigger for showing how historical memory and trauma transmit to post-generation who bears the trauma of their forebears and constitute their memories in their own right. My work serves as a bridge between the past and present and between my memory/experience and viewers.

Career aspirations

I want to be a teaching artist. I was fortunate to serve as an instructor during my graduate training at FSU. Thanks to this experience, I realized how I love teaching and meeting students. Also, I will continue striving to be a good artist because I believe a good artist throws a fundamental question in our lives and gives people consolation through artwork.

Advice for anyone considering graduate school

If you want to get your specialized experience from this journey with professional supporters from faculty and colleagues, please come. Through this journey, although we cannot be perfect, at least we can be the better version of ourselves as one of my committee members said before my first semester started at FSU.

Accomplishments during graduate career

The biggest accomplishment in my life and during my graduate journey has been being a mother. It wasn’t easy to study and work physically while pregnant but thankfully with the support of my colleagues and professors, I could finish all things such as taking all courses, exhibitions, reviews, and teaching, and the baby came out with perfect timing on almost the last day of the semester. I am sure that this accomplishment and new experience in my life will expand my boundaries as an artist, teacher, and person. I am also proud to have received a couple awards: