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Jean Shin Biography
Jean Shin is a contemporary American-Korean artist renowned for her large-scale installations and public sculptures that transform discarded materials into thought-provoking works of art. Her creations are not only visually striking but also carry deep reflections on identity, community, and the environment.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1971, Shin moved to the United States at the age of six and grew up in Bethesda, Maryland. Her parents, former professors in Seoul, took various jobs upon their arrival in the U.S., eventually owning a supermarket and liquor store. Shin's artistic inclinations were nurtured from a young age, and she was encouraged to pursue painting seriously during her high school years.
Shin's academic journey in the arts began with her enrollment at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting in 1994 and a Master of Science in Art History and Criticism in 1996. Her education continued at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine, where she attended in 1999. Shin's commitment to education is evident in her role as a tenured Adjunct Professor of Fine Art at Pratt Institute, where she has been teaching for over two decades.
Shin's work is characterized by her labor-intensive process of collecting and transforming vast quantities of everyday objects, such as prescription pill bottles, sports trophies, and sweaters, into large-scale, immersive environments. These objects, often sourced through donations from individuals in a participating community, are repurposed to create visually alluring and conceptually rich installations that explore the collective issues faced by society.
Her installations are known for their ability to shift focus between the individual and the group, the single unit and the larger whole, the intimate and the excessive. This duality is a hallmark of Shin's work, inviting viewers to contemplate the nature of identity and community through the lens of the materials she employs.
Shin's art has been widely exhibited in major national and international museums. Notable solo exhibitions include those at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC, and the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. In 2020, she was the first Korean-American woman artist to be featured in a solo exhibition at the Asian Art Museum.
Her public art commissions are significant and numerous, including a landmark commission for the MTA's Second Avenue Subway in New York City. Shin's work in public spaces often engages with the history of use, circulation, and environmental impact of the materials she uses, creating a dialogue with the community and the spaces they inhabit.
Shin has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Architecture/Environmental Structures and Sculpture, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant, and the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Biennial Art award. She has also been honored with the Frederic Church Award for her contributions to American art and culture.
Her work has been featured in a multitude of publications worldwide, including The New York Times and Sculpture Magazine. Shin's commitment to addressing ecological concerns and the climate crisis is evident in her recent works, which explore the impact of industry, global economies, and consumption on the environment.
In her recent project "Displaced," Shin examines the environmental consequences of the art and museum world, characterized by traveling exhibitions that require cross-country shipping and the disposal of robust wooden art crates. This installation serves as a self-critical lens on the carbon footprint of artmaking and the paradox of artists and museums working within an ecological framework.
Jean Shin's art is a testament to her innovative spirit and her dedication to creating works that challenge viewers to reconsider their relationship with the material world and the collective impact on our environment. Her installations are not only aesthetically engaging but also serve as catalysts for community engagement and environmental awareness.
Jean Shin Quotes and Sales of
Works
Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the
artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and
evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current
market values.
If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the
artist, contact us immediately.
If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the
works:
Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back,
and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of
the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work
and any kind of available documentation (purchase
receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One
of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We
guarantee maximum confidentiality and extreme
professionalism.
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