[MEDIA ARTIST INTERVIEW]
Digital Sublime: Vitality Blooming Beyond the Pixel
: Media Artist YeonJeong Jang
by LED.ART EDITORIAL
We introduce media artist YeonJeong Jang (Forside), who reinterprets the quiet vitality of nature through light. Beginning with the intricate structures of flowers and plants, Jang transforms them within AI and 3D digital environments into unfamiliar yet seemingly living new organisms. She defines this process through the concept of the “digital sublime,” treating AI not merely as a production tool but as a medium that expands human perception and imagination.
In the fast-moving flow of everyday life, her works invite viewers to pause and sense the subtle movements and quiet tension within the screen. Forms situated on the boundary between nature and artifice, together with the energy just before blossoming, offer viewers a deep sense of immersion beyond visual stimulation. In this interview, we explore the artistic philosophy of YeonJeong Jang, who is building her own visual world at the intersection of technology and art, and the deeply sensorial narratives that bloom within it.
‘Digital Sublime Reverberation of Presence’ by YeonJeong Jang
Q1. Please briefly introduce yourself
A1. Hello. I am YeonJeong Jang, a media artist working under the name “Forside.” I currently teach design theory at a university while continuing my artistic practice and research. My work begins with forms found in nature, especially flowers and plants, but rather than reproducing them as they are, I am interested in transforming them within digital environments into unfamiliar sensations and new forms of existence. I describe this process through the concept of the “digital sublime.”
Media art exhibition photo by YeonJeong Jang
Rather than using AI simply as a tool for generating images, I see it as a medium for exploring how far human perception and imagination can be expanded through technology.
Q2. What led you to become a 3D media artist?
A2. I originally studied design, and while teaching design for many years, I continued to think deeply about images, space, and visual experience. Then I encountered AI and 3D technologies, and I was strongly drawn to the fact that they allowed me to realize forms and atmospheres that had previously existed only in my mind with far greater freedom.
At first, my work began from curiosity about new tools. But as I continued creating, I became more interested not in the technology itself, but in the sensations generated within it. As I created forms that do not exist in reality yet somehow feel alive, and images that exist on the boundary between nature and artifice, the direction of my work gradually became clearer. I was especially fascinated by the process through which a single image expands into an entirely different experience when combined with movement, sound, and space. From that point on, I began to work more seriously on creating scenes and environments where viewers could stay, sense, and experience—not merely images to be looked at.
Media art exhibition photo by YeonJeong Jang
Q3. Where do you usually draw inspiration from when creating your works?
A3. I mainly draw inspiration from nature. In particular, I spend a lot of time observing the forms of flowers and plants. My work often begins from details that can easily be overlooked in everyday life, such as the way petals overlap, the direction in which stems extend, or the subtle textures on a surface.
However, I do not try to reproduce nature exactly as it appears. As I repeat and transform forms, or combine different structures, something emerges that is slightly different from an actual plant. It begins in nature, but becomes a form that exists between nature and artifice, between living organism and digital image.
The works presented through LED.ART were also created through this process. Rather than showing a flower blooming in a direct way, I wanted to express sensations such as the tension just before blossoming, or a kind of vitality slowly moving from within. I hope viewers will pause for a moment and sense the forms, movements, and atmosphere within the screen, rather than reading a specific narrative from the work.
‘Digital Sublime Resonance of Presence’ by YeonJeong Jang
Q4. Are there any role models, artists, or works that have left a strong impression on you? Why?
A4. Rather than choosing one specific person as a role model, I tend to look closely at artists who have a clear world of their own. I am drawn to works where, even from a single piece, you can sense the feelings and questions the artist has explored over a long period of time. For example, I find the work of Olafur Eliasson deeply impressive. I am interested in the way he uses seemingly simple elements such as light, fog, and reflection to make viewers perceive space in a new way. His works do not end as objects in front of the viewer; they become experiences that include the viewer’s body and senses. That gives me a lot to think about.
‘Lifeworld, Seoul’ Olafur Eliasson
I also admire the video works of Bill Viola. His works are extremely slow and restrained in their movement, yet they contain deep tension related to life and death, time, and emotion. I also have a strong interest in works whose inner sensations gradually reveal themselves the longer one looks, rather than in fast or immediately stimulating scenes. That said, I am not trying to follow the visual style of these artists. What I find important is the attitude of an artist who continues to repeat and expand their own questions over time, eventually building a world of their own. I, too, want to continue exploring sensations between nature and technology, life and artificiality, within the world of the “digital sublime.”
Q5. Could you introduce the main tools or programs you use in your work?
A5. In my work, I mainly use Midjourney, Kling, Adobe Premiere Pro, and After Effects. I use Midjourney in the early stage of imagining and forming images, and Kling when expanding completed images into movement. After that, I work in Premiere Pro and After Effects to adjust the rhythm and pacing of the video, and to refine the relationship between sound and image.
The greatest strength of Midjourney is that it allows me to quickly visualize vague images in my mind. It sometimes generates unexpected forms, making it a tool that helps me discover new directions beyond my initial plan. On the other hand, it is difficult to fully control the results. I need to continuously revise the text prompts until I get closer to the image I want, and select results that align with the direction of the work from among many outputs. Kling is used to give movement to still images. Rather than creating dramatic movement, I usually create subtle motions, such as a surface trembling very slightly or something slowly breathing from within. AI tools are fast and full of possibilities, but because results are generated so easily, I believe the artist’s judgment becomes even more important.
Choosing which image to use, deciding what to remove, and knowing where to stop are ultimately human decisions. For me, AI is less a tool that creates the artwork on my behalf and more a collaborative tool that helps me discover forms I had not imagined and expand the scope of my practice.
Q6. Is there a message or emotion you hope to convey through your work?
A6. What I want to convey through my work is not a single clear message, but rather a sensation that invites viewers to pause and look for a while. In everyday life, we pass through countless images very quickly. In front of my work, I hope viewers can stay a little longer and slow down. The forms in my works begin from flowers and plants, but they are not direct reproductions of nature. Familiar natural forms become unfamiliar within digital environments, and at times they appear like living beings. I am interested in the moment when familiarity and unfamiliarity are felt at the same time.
The works introduced through LED.ART also contain both stillness and tension. Nothing dramatic happens on the screen, but if you look closely, the surface moves subtly, or something seems to slowly bloom from within the form. Through these movements, I wanted to express a state just before life appears, or an internal energy that is invisible but undoubtedly present. I do not think viewers need to feel exactly the same emotion when they see my work. What I hope is that, even for a brief moment, viewers can step away from familiar reality and quietly encounter a sensation that is difficult to explain.
Q7. Is there a work among your pieces that you feel especially attached to?
A7. The work I feel most attached to is the Digital Sublime Flora series. Rather than choosing one specific piece, I would say the entire series represents an important turning point for me. I had already been working with forms based on nature before, but while creating the Flora series, I gradually became clearer about what I was drawn to and what kind of sensation I wanted to keep speaking about. I realized that I was not simply interested in making beautiful flowers, but in the moment when natural forms transform into unfamiliar life forms within a digital environment, and in the state where tension and energy remain within a quiet screen.
‘Digital Sublime Flora XIV’ by YeonJeong Jang
Through this series, the worldview of my work—the “digital sublime”—also began to emerge more clearly. By creating forms that exist on the boundary between nature and artifice, life and technology, I discovered questions that I want to explore for a long time. In that sense, the Flora series is not just a completed result. Although my work has changed little by little, I continue to expand the sensations and questions that began with this series.
Q8. What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist, and how did you overcome it?
A8. The biggest challenge I have faced as an artist has been the prejudice toward artists who use AI. There is still a strong perception that in AI-based work, the technology creates the image on behalf of the artist, so sometimes the tool is evaluated before the artwork itself. At first, I also needed time to ask myself how I should explain my work and where the role of the artist lies. In that process, rather than defending the technology, I realized that I first needed to clarify why I was making this work. I organized my thoughts around what kind of sensations I wanted to explore at the boundary between nature and artifice, life and digitality, and why I was continuing this exploration through the world of the “digital sublime.”
I also came to believe that every process—designing prompts, selecting results, coordinating movement and sound—must take place within a consistent artistic philosophy. In the end, the best way to overcome prejudice was not to persuade people with words, but to continue showing my work. As my works were exhibited and recognized externally, I also gained more confidence in my practice. Now I do not try to hide or defend the fact that I use AI. I believe what matters is not which tool is used, but what questions the artist asks through that tool and what kind of world the artist builds.
Q9. Is there a memorable experience from your artistic career so far, such as an exhibition, collaboration, or award?
A9. The most memorable experience for me was being selected as a finalist in the Moving Image category at the HOFA Gallery Digital Art Awards held this March. Above all, it was a great honor to have my work introduced in the same space as outstanding artists from around the world. It gave me a strong sense of pride as an artist, because it showed that my work was not merely a personal experiment, but could also be accepted as a work of art on an international stage. Since I have constantly reflected on my method and direction while working with AI, this selection meant more to me than just the result itself. It became an opportunity to gain confidence that the world and sensibility of the “digital sublime,” which I have been exploring for a long time, could also be communicated to others.
Media art exhibition photo by YeonJeong Jang
As I looked at my work installed in the exhibition space, I felt as though all the time I had spent up to that point had come together into a single scene. At the same time, this experience was not a final destination. It gave me a new sense of responsibility and motivation to create work with even greater depth going forward.
Q10. Are there any changes or interesting trends in the digital art scene that you are currently paying attention to?
A10. Recently, I have been interested in the way digital art is expanding beyond a single screen into an entire space. Video, sound, lighting, and structures are being combined, and sometimes works respond to the viewer’s movement or surrounding environment, transforming into immersive sensory spaces. I also feel that perspectives on AI are gradually changing. At first, much attention was paid to how new and surprising an image could be when made with AI. Now, however, what matters more is what questions the artist asks through that technology and what kind of world they build with it.
Another phenomenon I am watching with interest is the increasingly blurred boundary between the digital and the material. Digital images no longer remain only on screens. They encounter transparent membranes, light, or installation structures, and begin to acquire a kind of material presence within physical space. Viewers, too, become not just people looking at a work, but beings who enter the environment and experience it with their bodies.
Q11. What do you hope for from LED.ART, or what role do you expect it to play?
A11. I hope LED.ART will go beyond simply introducing digital works on screens and take on a role that connects artworks, spaces, and audiences. Digital art creates entirely different experiences depending on where it is exhibited, the size of the screen, and the atmosphere of the space. For an artist, it is very important to see how a work created in the studio appears in an actual space and how audiences respond to it. In that sense, I hope LED.ART will become a platform that continuously creates opportunities for artworks to meet diverse places and audiences.
I also hope it can serve as a natural gateway for audiences who are interested in digital art but may still find it difficult to approach. Rather than focusing first on explanations of technology, I would like LED.ART to provide strong exhibition environments and contexts that allow viewers to focus on the sensations and experiences conveyed by the work. From the artist’s perspective, I hope the platform can not only introduce the work, but also share records of audience responses and how the work functions in space after an exhibition. Going forward, I hope LED.ART can become a long-term partner that sustains the relationship between artists, spaces, and audiences.
Q12. Could you share your future plans or artistic goals?
A12. Going forward, I would like to expand the world of the “digital sublime” that I have been building into something deeper and more multidimensional. At the moment, my practice is centered mainly on images and video, but I am increasingly interested in ways my works can move beyond the screen and encounter physical space.
In particular, I would like to experiment with combining digital images with material elements such as transparent screens, light, or thin membranes. If devices that respond to the viewer’s movement or changes in the space are added to this, I think the work could feel not like a fixed video, but like a living environment. In terms of subject matter, I plan to continue exploring the boundaries between nature and artifice, life and technology. However, using new technology itself is not the goal. Even as technologies change, I believe the questions and sensations I continue to look at should remain consistent.
I would like to expand the world that began with the Flora series into forests, ecosystems, and entire spaces, while making the language of my work more distinct. In the long term, my goal is to present my works in various exhibition spaces in Korea and abroad, and to create works in which viewers do more than simply look at a screen—they can stay within the work and sense it. Rather than quickly showing something new, I want to continue making works that can be remembered over time as part of one artist’s world.
Digital Sublime Flora IX’ by YeonJeong Jang
#media artist #media art #digital content #digital art #digiral screen #art video #curation #3D video #media art licensing service #premium space #art trend #nature media art #space experience #interior #digital canvas #immersive art
[MEDIA ARTIST INTERVIEW]
Digital Sublime: Vitality Blooming Beyond the Pixel
: Media Artist YeonJeong Jang
by LED.ART EDITORIAL
We introduce media artist YeonJeong Jang (Forside), who reinterprets the quiet vitality of nature through light. Beginning with the intricate structures of flowers and plants, Jang transforms them within AI and 3D digital environments into unfamiliar yet seemingly living new organisms. She defines this process through the concept of the “digital sublime,” treating AI not merely as a production tool but as a medium that expands human perception and imagination.
In the fast-moving flow of everyday life, her works invite viewers to pause and sense the subtle movements and quiet tension within the screen. Forms situated on the boundary between nature and artifice, together with the energy just before blossoming, offer viewers a deep sense of immersion beyond visual stimulation. In this interview, we explore the artistic philosophy of YeonJeong Jang, who is building her own visual world at the intersection of technology and art, and the deeply sensorial narratives that bloom within it.
‘Digital Sublime Reverberation of Presence’ by YeonJeong Jang
Q1. Please briefly introduce yourself
A1. Hello. I am YeonJeong Jang, a media artist working under the name “Forside.” I currently teach design theory at a university while continuing my artistic practice and research. My work begins with forms found in nature, especially flowers and plants, but rather than reproducing them as they are, I am interested in transforming them within digital environments into unfamiliar sensations and new forms of existence. I describe this process through the concept of the “digital sublime.”
Media art exhibition photo by YeonJeong Jang
Rather than using AI simply as a tool for generating images, I see it as a medium for exploring how far human perception and imagination can be expanded through technology.
Q2. What led you to become a 3D media artist?
A2. I originally studied design, and while teaching design for many years, I continued to think deeply about images, space, and visual experience. Then I encountered AI and 3D technologies, and I was strongly drawn to the fact that they allowed me to realize forms and atmospheres that had previously existed only in my mind with far greater freedom.
At first, my work began from curiosity about new tools. But as I continued creating, I became more interested not in the technology itself, but in the sensations generated within it. As I created forms that do not exist in reality yet somehow feel alive, and images that exist on the boundary between nature and artifice, the direction of my work gradually became clearer. I was especially fascinated by the process through which a single image expands into an entirely different experience when combined with movement, sound, and space. From that point on, I began to work more seriously on creating scenes and environments where viewers could stay, sense, and experience—not merely images to be looked at.
Media art exhibition photo by YeonJeong Jang
Q3. Where do you usually draw inspiration from when creating your works?
A3. I mainly draw inspiration from nature. In particular, I spend a lot of time observing the forms of flowers and plants. My work often begins from details that can easily be overlooked in everyday life, such as the way petals overlap, the direction in which stems extend, or the subtle textures on a surface.
However, I do not try to reproduce nature exactly as it appears. As I repeat and transform forms, or combine different structures, something emerges that is slightly different from an actual plant. It begins in nature, but becomes a form that exists between nature and artifice, between living organism and digital image.
The works presented through LED.ART were also created through this process. Rather than showing a flower blooming in a direct way, I wanted to express sensations such as the tension just before blossoming, or a kind of vitality slowly moving from within. I hope viewers will pause for a moment and sense the forms, movements, and atmosphere within the screen, rather than reading a specific narrative from the work.
‘Digital Sublime Resonance of Presence’ by YeonJeong Jang
Q4. Are there any role models, artists, or works that have left a strong impression on you? Why?
A4. Rather than choosing one specific person as a role model, I tend to look closely at artists who have a clear world of their own. I am drawn to works where, even from a single piece, you can sense the feelings and questions the artist has explored over a long period of time. For example, I find the work of Olafur Eliasson deeply impressive. I am interested in the way he uses seemingly simple elements such as light, fog, and reflection to make viewers perceive space in a new way. His works do not end as objects in front of the viewer; they become experiences that include the viewer’s body and senses. That gives me a lot to think about.
‘Lifeworld, Seoul’ Olafur Eliasson
I also admire the video works of Bill Viola. His works are extremely slow and restrained in their movement, yet they contain deep tension related to life and death, time, and emotion. I also have a strong interest in works whose inner sensations gradually reveal themselves the longer one looks, rather than in fast or immediately stimulating scenes. That said, I am not trying to follow the visual style of these artists. What I find important is the attitude of an artist who continues to repeat and expand their own questions over time, eventually building a world of their own. I, too, want to continue exploring sensations between nature and technology, life and artificiality, within the world of the “digital sublime.”
Q5. Could you introduce the main tools or programs you use in your work?
A5. In my work, I mainly use Midjourney, Kling, Adobe Premiere Pro, and After Effects. I use Midjourney in the early stage of imagining and forming images, and Kling when expanding completed images into movement. After that, I work in Premiere Pro and After Effects to adjust the rhythm and pacing of the video, and to refine the relationship between sound and image.
The greatest strength of Midjourney is that it allows me to quickly visualize vague images in my mind. It sometimes generates unexpected forms, making it a tool that helps me discover new directions beyond my initial plan. On the other hand, it is difficult to fully control the results. I need to continuously revise the text prompts until I get closer to the image I want, and select results that align with the direction of the work from among many outputs. Kling is used to give movement to still images. Rather than creating dramatic movement, I usually create subtle motions, such as a surface trembling very slightly or something slowly breathing from within. AI tools are fast and full of possibilities, but because results are generated so easily, I believe the artist’s judgment becomes even more important.
Choosing which image to use, deciding what to remove, and knowing where to stop are ultimately human decisions. For me, AI is less a tool that creates the artwork on my behalf and more a collaborative tool that helps me discover forms I had not imagined and expand the scope of my practice.
Q6. Is there a message or emotion you hope to convey through your work?
A6. What I want to convey through my work is not a single clear message, but rather a sensation that invites viewers to pause and look for a while. In everyday life, we pass through countless images very quickly. In front of my work, I hope viewers can stay a little longer and slow down. The forms in my works begin from flowers and plants, but they are not direct reproductions of nature. Familiar natural forms become unfamiliar within digital environments, and at times they appear like living beings. I am interested in the moment when familiarity and unfamiliarity are felt at the same time.
The works introduced through LED.ART also contain both stillness and tension. Nothing dramatic happens on the screen, but if you look closely, the surface moves subtly, or something seems to slowly bloom from within the form. Through these movements, I wanted to express a state just before life appears, or an internal energy that is invisible but undoubtedly present. I do not think viewers need to feel exactly the same emotion when they see my work. What I hope is that, even for a brief moment, viewers can step away from familiar reality and quietly encounter a sensation that is difficult to explain.
Q7. Is there a work among your pieces that you feel especially attached to?
A7. The work I feel most attached to is the Digital Sublime Flora series. Rather than choosing one specific piece, I would say the entire series represents an important turning point for me. I had already been working with forms based on nature before, but while creating the Flora series, I gradually became clearer about what I was drawn to and what kind of sensation I wanted to keep speaking about. I realized that I was not simply interested in making beautiful flowers, but in the moment when natural forms transform into unfamiliar life forms within a digital environment, and in the state where tension and energy remain within a quiet screen.
‘Digital Sublime Flora XIV’ by YeonJeong Jang
Through this series, the worldview of my work—the “digital sublime”—also began to emerge more clearly. By creating forms that exist on the boundary between nature and artifice, life and technology, I discovered questions that I want to explore for a long time. In that sense, the Flora series is not just a completed result. Although my work has changed little by little, I continue to expand the sensations and questions that began with this series.
Q8. What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist, and how did you overcome it?
A8. The biggest challenge I have faced as an artist has been the prejudice toward artists who use AI. There is still a strong perception that in AI-based work, the technology creates the image on behalf of the artist, so sometimes the tool is evaluated before the artwork itself. At first, I also needed time to ask myself how I should explain my work and where the role of the artist lies. In that process, rather than defending the technology, I realized that I first needed to clarify why I was making this work. I organized my thoughts around what kind of sensations I wanted to explore at the boundary between nature and artifice, life and digitality, and why I was continuing this exploration through the world of the “digital sublime.”
I also came to believe that every process—designing prompts, selecting results, coordinating movement and sound—must take place within a consistent artistic philosophy. In the end, the best way to overcome prejudice was not to persuade people with words, but to continue showing my work. As my works were exhibited and recognized externally, I also gained more confidence in my practice. Now I do not try to hide or defend the fact that I use AI. I believe what matters is not which tool is used, but what questions the artist asks through that tool and what kind of world the artist builds.
Q9. Is there a memorable experience from your artistic career so far, such as an exhibition, collaboration, or award?
A9. The most memorable experience for me was being selected as a finalist in the Moving Image category at the HOFA Gallery Digital Art Awards held this March. Above all, it was a great honor to have my work introduced in the same space as outstanding artists from around the world. It gave me a strong sense of pride as an artist, because it showed that my work was not merely a personal experiment, but could also be accepted as a work of art on an international stage. Since I have constantly reflected on my method and direction while working with AI, this selection meant more to me than just the result itself. It became an opportunity to gain confidence that the world and sensibility of the “digital sublime,” which I have been exploring for a long time, could also be communicated to others.
Media art exhibition photo by YeonJeong Jang
As I looked at my work installed in the exhibition space, I felt as though all the time I had spent up to that point had come together into a single scene. At the same time, this experience was not a final destination. It gave me a new sense of responsibility and motivation to create work with even greater depth going forward.
Q10. Are there any changes or interesting trends in the digital art scene that you are currently paying attention to?
A10. Recently, I have been interested in the way digital art is expanding beyond a single screen into an entire space. Video, sound, lighting, and structures are being combined, and sometimes works respond to the viewer’s movement or surrounding environment, transforming into immersive sensory spaces. I also feel that perspectives on AI are gradually changing. At first, much attention was paid to how new and surprising an image could be when made with AI. Now, however, what matters more is what questions the artist asks through that technology and what kind of world they build with it.
Another phenomenon I am watching with interest is the increasingly blurred boundary between the digital and the material. Digital images no longer remain only on screens. They encounter transparent membranes, light, or installation structures, and begin to acquire a kind of material presence within physical space. Viewers, too, become not just people looking at a work, but beings who enter the environment and experience it with their bodies.
Q11. What do you hope for from LED.ART, or what role do you expect it to play?
A11. I hope LED.ART will go beyond simply introducing digital works on screens and take on a role that connects artworks, spaces, and audiences. Digital art creates entirely different experiences depending on where it is exhibited, the size of the screen, and the atmosphere of the space. For an artist, it is very important to see how a work created in the studio appears in an actual space and how audiences respond to it. In that sense, I hope LED.ART will become a platform that continuously creates opportunities for artworks to meet diverse places and audiences.
I also hope it can serve as a natural gateway for audiences who are interested in digital art but may still find it difficult to approach. Rather than focusing first on explanations of technology, I would like LED.ART to provide strong exhibition environments and contexts that allow viewers to focus on the sensations and experiences conveyed by the work. From the artist’s perspective, I hope the platform can not only introduce the work, but also share records of audience responses and how the work functions in space after an exhibition. Going forward, I hope LED.ART can become a long-term partner that sustains the relationship between artists, spaces, and audiences.
Q12. Could you share your future plans or artistic goals?
A12. Going forward, I would like to expand the world of the “digital sublime” that I have been building into something deeper and more multidimensional. At the moment, my practice is centered mainly on images and video, but I am increasingly interested in ways my works can move beyond the screen and encounter physical space.
In particular, I would like to experiment with combining digital images with material elements such as transparent screens, light, or thin membranes. If devices that respond to the viewer’s movement or changes in the space are added to this, I think the work could feel not like a fixed video, but like a living environment. In terms of subject matter, I plan to continue exploring the boundaries between nature and artifice, life and technology. However, using new technology itself is not the goal. Even as technologies change, I believe the questions and sensations I continue to look at should remain consistent.
I would like to expand the world that began with the Flora series into forests, ecosystems, and entire spaces, while making the language of my work more distinct. In the long term, my goal is to present my works in various exhibition spaces in Korea and abroad, and to create works in which viewers do more than simply look at a screen—they can stay within the work and sense it. Rather than quickly showing something new, I want to continue making works that can be remembered over time as part of one artist’s world.
Digital Sublime Flora IX’ by YeonJeong Jang
#media artist #media art #digital content #digital art #digiral screen #art video #curation #3D video #media art licensing service #premium space #art trend #nature media art #space experience #interior #digital canvas #immersive art