Suitman and I traveled across six continents, visited hundreds of places, and carried out the 'Suitman portrait session' and collected thousands of portraits from all walks of life. I call this particular collection of my work 'They all look the same to me.' The stereotype of Asian appearance, which I heard all the times when I was growing up in the states. These portraits serve as a device to seek familiarity. As the Suitman portrait collection grows, I've concluded: The suit, white shirt, black tie, and the yellow-tinted glasses unify the faces, and when the superficial status is stripped-off, after all, we are all the same.
Young Kim was born in Seoul to Korean parents in the early 60s. Until the age of twelve, Seoul was Kim's home and the only cultural reference. Following emigration to the United States, Kim then spent his adolescence and early adulthood in the United States, where he became identified as being Korean-American. The successive experiences in Seoul and America left Kim possessed by two distinctive cultures under one skin; to him, neither fitting very well. He considered himself to be an American. However, in the eyes of others, he was, by all appearances, "Asian."
After achieving a successful creative career in the U.S. advertising industry, Kim relocated to Tokyo in the 90s, taking on another challenge in his career path. Ironically enough, in returning to Asia, Kim found his alienation on a par with that of which he endured in America, only in reverse. His face fit, his persona did not. Dressing up as Suitman gave Kim the strength to confront the feeling of socio-cultural isolation and empowered him to explore his true identity.
Suitman is Kim's living art created through his experience of living life as Suitman. Together, Suitman and Young Kim are interacting with all walks of life, gathering inspiration for their work, which comprises photography, film, installation, performance, and design objects. Their work is insightful, highly engaging, surprising, and always with a sense of humor.
The Ceramics Figurine Collection echoes the concept of individuality, a recurring theme in Suitman's decades-long portrait photography series, "They All Look the Same to Me." While the collection may appear similar, each figurine is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece.
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