Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

Brief introduction to the artist Song Kun, she was born in 1977 in Inner Mongolia, China, currently based in Beijing. Song Kun graduated from the Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, obtaining a Master of Arts degree. As one of the founding members of the N12 Art Group, she now serves as a visiting professor at the Third Studio of the Oil Painting Department at the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

Song Kun's practice focuses on painting, while also incorporating live music, video installations, and other media.

We present three works by Song Kun: " Animist—Lofi Dance on Screen," "No Boundary" and "Soulmate (Androgynous)." In these works, we can see a combination of imagery, sound, painting, and neon lights.

We would like to delve into how you initially studied painting and how you began collaborating with other practices, experimenting with other media.

Song Kun: 

For me, the rapid development in China over the past few years, the changes have been immense. We've transitioned from a traditional agricultural society to industrial cities, all within maybe just a decade. Our lives and our daily experiences have changed so much, facing such drastic realities every day, which is what this exhibition is based.

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

So, we've seen some recurring themes that are very important in your practice, such as the introduction and representation of subcultures. In these portraits, there's also an exploration of different identities.

Song Kun：

Around 2012, many commercial elements effect our lives, or rather, they were present in the art and music scenes we encountered in our daily lives. It made us reflect on our personal emotions, including desires and choices regarding beliefs. This exhibition primarily reflects on these thoughts.

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

You've provided more historical background about what China was like at that time, and what challenges you faced while creating your works. I think it would be interesting to discuss how they are presented.

Song Kun:

My working method is like that of a director. I have a script, and based on that script, I compose music and create paintings, partly from images I capture and partly from life sketches. Each painting can be seen as a still frame from the entire script of the video, or as a crucial fragment. The logic of the entire script is the music video.

I also want to mention that I am a portrait painter. Painting portraits for individuals is something imagery cannot replace. At least for me, I think pending a long time depicting a person's image is a process of creation, and portraying them is the significance of painting. However, I feel imagery cannot achieve this. Imagery is fluid.

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

Song Kun, could you expand more on the concept of "No Boundary" and "Soulmate (Androgynous)", and why you also discuss soulmates in your works? Moreover, a very important concept in your work is the idea of " Animist," or "everything has a spirit," more about the spiritual and existential aspects.

Song Kun:

With the advent of technology and internet entry into the virtual world, I've always considered myself as an observer of changing times—how the era and people’s life experiences changes. From a relative realism perspective, I create my works to reflect the specific social reality I want to portray.

In this regard, I mentioned the changes in social reality earlier, and they actually involve exploring the human body at this point in time, such as the depiction of human body images.

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

This mention of technology and machines, which we live with, but it's not all joy and progress.

Song Kun:

We really face a context or limitation, which serves as inspiration for creating works or the specific sources of the works.

Another reason that's particularly essential to me: because I was born in Inner Mongolia, the exploration of instincts about animals and real human bodies, including wilderness, is becoming increasingly mechanized and harsh in this city. I am very interested in this mixed experience.

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

We can even see in the final work how the entire body appears fragmented in different parts, and I think this fragmentation is something that exists in other parts of the world too, and we can all relate to it, the split caused by different influences.

I wanted to ask, did you also create the music in all your video works, or did you collaborate with other musicians?

Song Kun:

I make music demos myself, write lyrics, and then I give the music to my musician friends to mix.

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

May I ask, in the exhibition, are these videos presented, or are they only released as music videos, or in the contemporary art world, in an online form, how do you disseminate these works?

Song Kun:

For me, these are my music videos. I don't care whether they're contemporary art or not; I just want to make music videos. I write lyrics to express what I want to say.

But what interests me most is that they can be showcased at my music performances. I perform live music just to showcase them. They're more like VJ or live music. 

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

This is a completely different use of the works, and I think they can be perfectly expressed in exhibitions.

Song Kun:

I am an artist who works with forms, specializing in portrait art. This involves an aesthetic aspect where one might think more about what Eastern futurism entails. So, you see, there are some forms that reflect cyberpunk aesthetics. I'm sure I instinctively aim to differentiate myself from how some Western artists interpret cyber images. As I delve into this realm, there are many elements that draw from martial arts figures, as well as aspects of Chinese mythology. This includes the handling of colors and facial features, all of which involve a reinterpretation of my own stylistic choices.

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

"Radar Level" is also a form of non-high-tech visual art. I believe the similarity with "Radar Level" lies in questioning time, how the past has changed, and how we evolve amidst rapid changes.

Song Kun:

In the realm of low-tech, I believe there's still a freedom and creativity present, which might truly bring about a possibility of our own Eastern futurism in China.

Daniela Ruiz Moreno:

In "Suspension of Disbelief," we present "Animist—Lofi Dance on Screen," "No Boundary," and " Soulmate (Androgynous)," but your works encompass more than just that. There are broader backgrounds and other dimensions, as well as the relationship with your origins in tradition and mythology. Your work encompasses the economic and social changes in China, transitioning from rural areas to increased industrialization and the technological presence in which people live today.