Interview Vol.11
Unlimited Freedom Toward Newness
Gabe, a hair artist, creates unique hairstyles using mother-of-pearl, resin, and wood, while HA I I HWA, a plant artist, creates alien plants by adding artificial materials. The work of these two artists, who create new visual experiences with familiar materials, provides fresh inspiration for “Opposites United.”
Credits
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About the Interviewee
Gabe (GB)
Gabe is a hair artist based in Seoul. He began his career as a hairstylist at age 20, working as a hair designer until a chance personal project led him to magazine photography. Gabe now works energetically in various fields, such as magazine photography, entertainment, and advertising, showcasing his creative work with wigs and headpieces. This year, he became on the British Fashion Council’s 2023 NEW WAVE: Creatives list as the Korean hair artist for the first time.
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HA I I HWA (HH)
HA I I HWA studied visual design in college, worked as a graphic designer at a broadcasting station, and is now a plant artist, making a name for herself as an expert in “alien plants.” She has designed visuals for numerous corporate advertisements and presented various works in collaboration with a wide array of brands. In October 2023, she was the first Korean to be invited to the FLORA International Flower Festival in Cordoba, Spain, where she presented a site-specific work combined with geomungo (traditional Korean plucked zither) music.
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For Your Insight
Sometimes, in an area where you think there cannot be anything new anymore, you come across something fresh that exceeds your wildest expectations and inspires a sense of wonder. Hair artist Gabe and plant artist HA I I HWA are two such surprising artists. Gabe, who uses mother-of-pearl, resin, wood, and other out-of-the-ordinary materials to showcase a new world of hairstyling, confesses that his inspiration comes from childhood memories. HA I I HWA, on the other hand, is influenced by Eastern art and Buddhism. She creates strange alien plants using plants and electronic parts. These two artists offer viewers a new sense of creativity by starting from the familiar and pushing the boundaries of their respective art worlds.
Q1.
Please tell us about yourself.
GB
Hello. I’m hair artist Gabe.
HH
Hello. I’m HA I I HWA, a plant artist who combines man-made elements with plants to create alien plants from uncharted worlds that we can’t experience here in the real world.
Q2.
Both of you take everyday materials and turn them into art. Tell us about some experiences in which you used opposite elements to achieve something new.
GB
When utilizing materials, I often try new things. For example, I incorporate edibles into my work after working with materials like resin in hair. A notable example is using starch, sugar water, or gelatin to increase hold after I finish hair styling with mother-of-pearl or resin. I’ve discovered it on my own because I find it hard to get the impression I want with conventional hair products. It’s especially effective when I’m creating waves. I’ve found that using unexpected materials can make the styling more smooth.
HH
While carrying out projects under the theme of alien plants, I realized I would need more materials quickly if I only stuck to using plants. I expanded my work—by combining plants with artificial materials, which are the opposite of nature. I aim to turn people’s attention to nature through an unconventional combination. I want viewers to be visually stimulated by showing an unstable and artificial nature that does not exist on Earth. At the same time, I hope it will make them think about the artificial nature we will see with our own eyes in the future.
Q3.
I’m curious how you blend your efforts into your work while still thinking outside the box.
GB
When you think of one stereotype associated with hair, many people often think about the act of trying to make someone look pretty. However, I handle that aspect differently. As I constantly think about styles that can look like natural objects or approach fantasy, I blend them into my work. I look at paintings and other genres of art and find ways to express more visually vibrant hairstyles. Much of my work comes from that mindset and those efforts.
HH
There are general images that people think of when it comes to plants. While the external images of plants are beautiful and flexible, I approach them by focusing strictly on materials. Thus, even though the medium is a plant, the outcome of expressing my inner story can be a creature that exists in an unknown world.
Words
Miyoung Ahn
Ahn is a journalist, interviewer, and writer. She has worked for a variety of media outlets, including the magazine Noblesse, and is the author of four books, including a collection of essays and a travel book. She is presently working as a freelance editor and copywriter.
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