What I regard as the most important thing in my artwork and practice is bringing life and intimacy to the viewer.

To me, life is so vague. I have had lots of ambiguous questions every moment in my life, and I try to respond to this ambiguity in my artwork.

I am interested in works that contain an artist's real life story. To me, the truth shown in emotion is more important than the truth shown in reality.

My artistic practice began with photographs. I was fascinated with the power of photographs — recording everything with light and the accumulation of time.

But, I felt there were limitations to expressing my thoughts, emotions and ideas as typical “photographs". In my recent work, I use a Polaroid camera. After I take a picture, I cut text into the surface of the Polaroid. Most of the pictures I take look ambiguous and vague because of intentional overexposure; however, marks cut from the photographs look paradoxically strong and painful.

Also, I try to express abstraction in my work. Before fixing the image on the surface of Polaroid, during the developing process, I usually alter the surface: bending, shaking or scratching a knife against the surface, so the emulsion under the surface spreads. I focus more on my actions during developing rather than the results of the image. My abstraction coexists with the real images I took as a photographer.

I prefer artwork that makes the viewer feel a sense of intimacy.To me, true understanding between a viewer and an artist comes when a viewer's sympathy is aroused. By combining text with images and abstractions, I am trying to create new energy that will help me get close to a viewer. Simple language becomes artwork when put together with images.

— Mimi Youn