Artist
Ellen Warner
@theellenwarner
Ellen Warner (ì—˜ë Œ 워너) is an artist, currently studying at the Slade School of Fine Art. She explores points of rupture and connection that arise in navigating mixed heritage. Referencing family histories, locations linked to identity-forming memories, and everyday rituals such as the preparation of Korean food, Ellen examines the ongoing practice of identity construction rooted in intangible knowledge, while also considering the effect of environment on our experiences. Distorted, surreal imagery evokes the tension between “homeland” and diasporic cultures, and mirrors her experience of existing between the two.
Q1. What inspires the artist?
Ellen is inspired by the unique complexity of diasporic experiences, especially as someone with mixed Korean heritage. She is also interested in food as a signifier of identities, cultures, and systems, and how we interact with place and landscape. As filmmaking is an important part of her practice, she also takes a lot of inspiration from artists such as April Lin林森, Zarina Bhimji, and Sin Wai Kin.
Q2. What does being a female artist mean?
Ellen finds it often much harder for female artists to be fully heard in the art world, with intersecting aspects of identity making it even more pronounced. She values exploring how her Korean, gender, and queer identities intersect and appreciates communities like ESEA sisters(a group for East and South-East Asian women, trans, non-binary and genderqueer people) that celebrate these multifaceted identities, helping her understand and value them fully.
Q3. How does Korean culture influence artist's art?
Ellen shares that as someone who grew up in the UK, she didn’t have much contact with Korean culture until recently when she visited for the first time. Since then, she has tried to learn more about Korean traditional culture and how ideas of nationhood, belonging, and authenticity interact with diaspora culture and identity. She loves visiting New Malden, one of her favorite places in London.
Q4. Who are the female artist role models, and why?
Ellen’s role model is Jadé Fadojutimi, an incredible painter who reminds her how moving art can be. She also loves Zadie Xa’s work. Ellen saw Xa’s show at the Whitechapel Gallery last year. It was one of the first artwork displays about the Korean diaspora that Ellen saw. That affirming presence of Korean culture in the gallery impacted her.
Q5. What projects are currently being worked on?
Ellen is working on an interactive video and photographic piece that explores how mixed-heritage Korean identity and Hallyu (the Korean Wave) interact. She is experimenting with Blender and coding, and she is excited to delve deeper into technology-based processes.
Han Ah Reum (One Arm Full of Groceries), 2024
Single-channel film, 9 mins
‘Han Ah Reum’ (one arm full of something), the video artwork references H Mart, a Korean supermarket, and explores the impact of consumption on cultural identity. Using a text-to-speech transcript of her search of history and found audio, the work delves into how Ellen ground her mixed-heritage identity in food, an interpersonal symbol of care. The film documents Ellen's journey of connecting with her Korean heritage, from visiting Korea for the first time to learning the ritual of making Kimchi, a traditional staple. Camera roll footage from Korea is projected onto a painting, with changing light revealing hidden details.