“We create art for people. Our work is not artistically polished, but we share our thoughts with people.” This is how MOIZ The Creators described themselves. MOIZ is a group of three artists; Do Min-ju, Yang Chae-eun, and Mun Da-eun. They are alumni of Chonnam National University, and have been producing various artistic presentations which combine visual art with dramatic performances. They aim to interact with people through their work, hoping to move beyond the limitations of regional art. The Chonnam Tribune met them and heard their stories.

"Creating Our Frame"

MOIZ was founded in 2018 by a university theater club called “In-yeon” (connection) Although each member of MOIZ had different majors and interests, they gathered to express their one common true passion, art. They initially had no intention to become artists, due to practical (financial) concerns. Da-eun said, “I always dreamed of creating art ever since I was younger, but I was uncertain about being an artist. MOIZ was my turning point, when I became determined to follow my passion for art.”

MOIZ has its own motto: “We create our frame.” MOIZ creates their work with the ambition to resolve questions and problems they have faced while living in Gwangju. Chae-eun told us, “I always describe us as artists who invite people into our world. We create our frame and we invite people into it.” Da-eun added, “The frame for our art ranges from public forums to simple webpages, to social media contents and immersive theater.”

Regional Identity Is the Key

As most cultural infrastructure is concentrated in Seoul, local artists have experienced a relative lack of career opportunities. While many people define that deficit as a weakness, MOIZ defines it as an advantage. There are more opportunities in Seoul: in other words, the competition is strong. Chae-eun said, “To be honest, we have advantages living outside the capital region. I believe we have received more attention and opportunities thanks to our status as representatives of Gwangju.” Da-eun added, “Most of our works are naturally related to Gwangju, the city we have been living in for many years. This city has shaped our identity.”

All members of MOIZ were born and raised in Gwangju, and are aware of the painful history of the May 18 Democratization Movement. Do Min-ju said, “When I decided to become an artist, I tried to discover what I knew best. It was my hometown Gwangju. Therefore, I have created various types of performance art related to stories of Gwangju.” MOIZ released “Concrete Voice 1: Postal Code 61488” from 2022 to 2024, a collaborative project with the May 18 Foundation. Postal code 61488 is displayed on streets near the Gwangju Culture Complex. It is an interactive performance: People can listen to individuals' stories, roam around historical sites with headphones, and discover the hidden tragic history of their neighborhoods.

“Fanciful Seoul”

In 2022, MOIZ created “Fanciful Seoul”, an interactive public project, to talk about life in Seoul. The studio was designed to look like the inside of a train. It attracted local amateur actors to talk about life in Seoul as they envisioned it. The participants were asked to freely answer questions such as: “Do you feel like you are the only one who does not live in Seoul?”, “Have you ever wanted to leave Gwangju, but felt you could not?” Min-ju explained the motivation behind this work, “I thought many young people living in provinces and remote cities contemplate moving to Seoul. I thought it would be interesting to encourage them to talk about the city they envisioned.” She added, “A number of policy forums and debates have been held on the issue of young people leaving these regions, yet I felt the real voices of young people, including my friends and myself, were absent. So, I decided to create a truly inclusive public sphere through art.” Defining the role of art with her words, it could serve as a public sphere, and “Imagining Seoul” seemed to fulfill that role.

It Matters Who You Are

The story of MOIZ chasing after their dreams may provide considerable inspiration to university students and others of all ages. Min-ju shared, “For those who want to become professional performance artists and are contemplating the decision to move to Seoul, I have a message from an artist whom I respect a lot, ‘You don’t have to get into big troupes. Instead, spend time creating your own artistic identity. Eventually, no matter where you belong, you will have to discover your own artistic identity and do well on it.’”

Da-eun advised, “It is about living without regrets, not about being satisfied as an artist all the time.” Chae-eun added, “We can create art by understanding different perspectives. So, gain a variety of experiences. It will give you more creative artistic ideas.” The journey of MOIZ is not over, more is yet to come. They plan to release "Concrete Voice 2: 505 Security Force" in October 2024.

By Kim Jong-hyo, Reporter