yome: A Pop of Street culture by hoJin

After a 6 month long Residency with Modzi Arts, South Korean artist Hojin had his first solo showcase. An exhibition that was entitled YoMe.

Ho Jin (b. 1984, South Korea) is a doodler, animator, and digital documentary artist, who utilizes pop culture to try and simulate understanding and connect with people. He studied in media content and youth education counseling at University of Soonchunhyang.  He was dispatched to Zambia for the first time in 2010 by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO. For those first four years, he conducted cultural arts and film projects with local youths in Kafue.
Given the experience of living within local communities amongst Zambian people, as an ‘outsider’, he was given the opportunity to direct focus towards exploring his personal emotions within this context as well as the wider cultural context. As a result, on his return to Korea he published a book of illustrations entitled 'Monster in Me', which is centered around the artistic manifestations of his feelings.
In 2016 he returned to Zambia and began working in collaboration with Modzi Arts. He began to develop and build up his career as an artist with various projects such as wall painting, graphic design, documentary, and workshops. Jin has traveled to various places in Africa and Europe for art related projects and programmes. 


Yo, Wassup?!

This interjection, that was first recorded in 1905 in the US, was used as slang for the colloquial question of “what is happening?” or “what is going on?” Wass up (What’s up) can be said to have been made popular by the cartoon character Bugs Bunny, who used it as part of his catch phrase "What's up Doc?" (around 1940). This pop culture catchphrase has spread all over the world and is rated to be one of the most universal approaches in starting street communication. 
Throughout his artistic journey Hojin has progressively become a pop culture street artist. He is South Korean by birth and descent. He began using the term when he arrived in Zambia in 2010. Hojin decided that the most widely understood form of saying hello, “Yo, what’s up”, would become his verbal tool to get close to people and form bonds, as he could not speak English or any Zambian language upon his arrival. He now uses this form of communication to connect you with his art: 
“HEY, ART LOVER, WASS UP?”
This particular interjection influenced Hojins’ work and persona to such a large extent that he later became known as ‘Yoyo the Street Artist’. The YoMe exhibition for him symbolizes sharing a hello and not just any hello but one that comes with a positive reaction. In a world where a peaceful “Hello” is rare to find, where war and conflict have become part of culture and where anger and jealousy are ingrained in daily ways of living, YoMe poses to make a statement to advocate for messages of love, peace and happiness.  With that being said, he asks that you share some love, peace and happiness with HIM
HI HIM, FIND HIM, LOVE HIM, YO HIM…


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