Heidi Herrera
Cataloguer
Lot 45
JUN YANG(B. 1980)Lifted in Light, 2023
Ending from 2 May 2025, 12:00 PDT
Online, Los AngelesUS$1,200 - US$1,800
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Sharon Squires
Head of Department, Post-War & Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Bids (US)
JUN YANG (B. 1980)
Lifted in Light, 2023
signed 'Jun' (lower right)
oil on paper
16 x 12 in.
40.6 x 30.5 cm.
signed 'Jun' (lower right)
oil on paper
16 x 12 in.
40.6 x 30.5 cm.
Footnotes
Provenance
Courtesy of the artist
Exhibited
San Francisco, Upper Market Gallery, This is the Place, August 2023
"As a queer immigrant originally from Korea, I spent years searching for a sense of belonging, often feeling isolated and alone as a teenager. My life and art have been profoundly shaped by my chosen family and the LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities. Now, as a board member at Maitri Compassionate Care, I am dedicated to supporting those affected by HIV and providing gender-affirming care. Through my work, I strive to uplift and contribute to queer teenagers and communities, fostering connection, healing, and empowerment.
This piece embodies immediacy and raw energy, study piece before expanding into a larger format. "Lifted in Light" conveys a profound sense of elevation, transcendence, and empowerment—a metaphor for the emotional and personal growth that comes with embracing one's true self. This work is my visual love letter to myself and the LGBTQ+ community, honoring every queer individual who has ever struggled to live authentically." -Jun Yang
Artist Statement: Born and raised in Seoul, Korea, Jun lived in Dublin, Ireland, Belgium, and France before settling in San Francisco. Jun is a self-taught artist, his paintings, murals, and textile sculptures draw inspiration from his childhood traumas, healing journey, experiences of grief, and the Queer immigrant experience. For the past several years, Jun has focused on the creation representing POC Queer bodies through painting, sewing fabric sculptures and sculpting figures out of clay to reflect on marks and evidence of survival, growth, and nourishment. His fabric sculptures allow people to touch and wrap them around their body, activating a sense of safety, connection, love and protection. The sculptures' unusually long arms express the struggle of feeling out of place and the strength found in community bonding. They are designed to be hung on walls and displayed on podiums, allowing viewers to intertwine with the work and resonate with the struggles that Jun wants to convey. Jun combines his art with activism, reflecting his personal journey as a Queer immigrant and advocating for LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights by celebrating inclusivity and solidarity he has found in San Francisco while exposing ongoing struggles.
Yang is the 2024 SECA nominee by SFMOMA, recipient of SFAC Visual Art Grant and selected artist at Public Works artist in residence. His first museum solo exhibition is on view at Bakersfield Museum of Art. His works have been displayed at Senator Scott Wiener's Office, and Consulate General of The Republic of Korea. As well as exhibitions at De Young, Kunsthaus Graz, MOCA Taipei, and Kuandu Biennale. His work has been recognized by KQED Arts, Gay Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, and more.