Figurative Bust Sculpture

 

Julia Bicho 

Artist Statement

The concept of my figurative bust sculpture is based on social issues in North Korea, a couple months ago I listened to a podcast with Yeonmi Park, a North Korean Civil Rights activist who has had the chance to escape the horrendous life of the people in North Korea. There is a part of her interview where she talks about the system that is set up in North Korea, girls around the ages of 8 are sent to camps where they are taught to perform sexual acts on the North Korean soldiers. This is a horrible crime against young girls in North Korea. In my sculpture, I have a figure of a North Korean soldier and a young girl, the base is meant to show the power of the soldier and resemble that the young girl is in a form of "jail". 

Materials: 

paint, cutting pliers, wire, toothpicks, air-dry clay, wood, styrofoam, glue. 

Research 

"The horrifying life of sex slavery North Korean cheerleaders face"

Here is an article on the North Korean National Cheerleading Squad and the horror stories of how they are forced to perform sexual acts on Kim Jon Un's regime's, high-ranking officers. 

https://nypost.com/2018/02/23/defector-claims-north-koreas-cheerleaders-are-actually-sex-slaves/

"North Korea detainees subjected to ritual torture and sexual assault – rights group"

Here is an article about the sexual rituals and torture the North Korean women are put through in the justice system of the country, in the article it is stated that they are treated as "less than animals". 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/19/north-korea-detainees-subjected-to-ritual-torture-and-sexual-assault-rights-group

"Joe Rogan's Interview With North Korean Defector Is Being Called His 'Best Episode Ever'"

Here is a podcast episode, where a North Korean Defector, Yeonmi Park, she spends time explaining the political and social situations in North Korea, and she speaks about the sexual camps that young girls are forced to join. 

https://www.ladbible.com/news/latest-joe-rogans-interview-with-yeonmi-park-is-being-called-his-best-ever-20210805

Process photo

Here is the final result. 

Figure 1 

The young girl

Dimensions

3 x 1 x
3

Figure 2 

The soldier

Dimensions

4 x1 1/2 x 4

Final