Great Concordian: Jin-me Yoon, award-winning visual artist

For more than three decades, Jin-me Yoon, MFA 93, has used photography, video and performance to challenge dominant narratives of place, identity and history.

Her work, which spans global contexts yet remains deeply personal, interrogates the entanglements of tourism, militarism and colonialism. Now based in Vancouver, Yoon immigrated to Canada from South Korea as a child, an experience that has profoundly shaped her artistic lens.

Building on these foundational themes, her recent projects — including About Time, a 2022-23 Vancouver Art Gallery exhibition — have delved deeper into issues of displacement, memory and resilience.

One such endeavour is her collaboration with the Circle Project, an initiative founded by filmmaker Brenda Longfellow and restorative justice advocate Brenda Morrison. The project brings together artists and formerly incarcerated women to create art that imagines alternatives to carceral systems.

Yoon is also developing a series of interconnected works that examine war, migration and historical memory through performance and video. One project takes her to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) in Korea, where she explores the geopolitical tensions and personal legacies of division.

Another unfolds in Waikiki, Oʻahu, where Yoon explores connections to Pearl Harbor, the internment of Japanese Americans, the atomic bomb and Hawaii’s annexation.

Closer to home, Yoon has been working with Chief Bill Williams of the Squamish Nation to engage with the history of Indigenous dispossesion in Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver.

Each site carries its own layered history, she notes, yet together they form a meditation on global forces of displacement and the resilience of those who navigate them.

As she garners increased recognition — including the 2022 Scotiabank Photography Award and 2025 Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts — Yoon remains committed to the slow, deliberate process of making art. At this stage in her career, she describes herself as being at the height of her creative process, embracing an evolving approach that allows for greater levity and experimentation.

“I create to learn,” she says. “I have been innately curious since childhood, and that curiosity has never been extinguished.

“My creative practice is the basis for who I am. I can’t separate it. As I make the art, the art makes me.”

When you reflect on your time as a Concordia student, what stands out?

Jin-me Yoon: I came to Concordia in 1990 for my MFA, and it was a really exciting time. I had just moved from Vancouver, having immigrated from South Korea, and I felt the need to understand the roots of Canada, as a relatively young nation state.

Montreal, with its dynamic art scene, was the perfect place for me to dive into those questions. It was an era full of passionate debate on intense historical moments, and we could discuss them fiercely and still go out and have fun. The diversity of people at Concordia — both faculty and peers — pushed me to think critically in a different context, and the art scene here was so different from Vancouver’s, yet equally vibrant. It was an inspiring place to continue my journey as an artist.

What are some of the factors that have enabled your success?

JY: Support has been key to my success. It’s a fallacy that success as an artist is just about talent; we need support. I’ve benefited from great public education and institutions, as well as grants from public art funders like the Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council.

And importantly, I’ve been part of artist-run centres, and through this kind of support I’ve been able to build a life as an artist. But it’s been hard.

Artists need a society that values them. Art plays a vital role in reflecting the past, understanding the present and imagining the future. We need to continue fighting for artists to exist and thrive, especially in a material world that often makes it hard for them to survive.

What advice do you have for students who may want to follow in your footsteps?

JY: First, remember that being an artist is not the only way to be in the world. Many students will pursue other fields after their degree, and that’s perfectly okay. An art education fosters creative and critical thinking, providing a framework for understanding the complexities of the world. That training can serve you well, whether you continue in the arts or not.

Artists are not the only ones who need to think critically and creatively; society needs citizens who can navigate diverse perspectives. If you love art, continue doing it, but also embrace the broader potential of your education to contribute meaningfully in other areas.

Ultimately, an art education is about a way of being in the world, not just about becoming a practicing artist.

How does it feel to be a Great Concordian?

JY: It feels wonderful and unexpected, but also like the right time. In Korean tradition, turning 60 is seen as completing five cycles of the lunar zodiac, a significant milestone. Now that I’m in my seventh decade, this recognition feels especially meaningful.

I’m proud, not just of my own work, but of the collective achievements of people from all walks of life. It’s an honour to be recognized alongside such a diverse group. I also hope this recognition reminds us of the importance of accessible education for all, and I will continue to fight for that cause.