MAKETH THE MAN The suit works on several levels. It represents good and bad; there's the one we wear for graduation, one for weddings and one for funerals - they represent respect. Then there's the power suit and the fact that it represents conformity. It's fascinating to me that the same suit can mean so many things.
I was born in Korea and lived there until I was 10 years old. Then we moved to the [United] States. My parents were very strict and religious and we went to church a lot. When I graduated after studying film, I asked myself why I had such a fear of suits. So I bought my first one. It was designed by Yohji Yamamoto and I wore it every day to get over my fear.
I travelled around to find work and I wore the suit wherever I went. I documented it all in photographs.
I've worked in fashion, publishing, advertising, filmmaking and now I'm an artist. After a few years, I reached the conclusion that wearing a suit doesn't mean you are conforming. I can go to a rock gig and I'll be the only one in a suit. Now, wherever I go, I get recognised as Suitman. I made it a positive experience. I created art from it.
BELIEVE THE HYPE At the New York opening of my art show I created Suitman as a traveller. He was tied up like Gulliver, surrounded by lots of small figures, behind a window where everybody could see him. The New York Fire Department agreed to be in on the stunt and two paramedics pulled up in an ambulance, picked up Suitman and carried him away on a stretcher. Everyone thought it was me but in fact it was somebody else wearing a suit and a Suitman mask. I was in the crowd watching people's reactions, which was very funny.
I call myself a folk artist. I've reached a crossroads. I have to decide whether to become a professional, full-time artist. So far, I've been working in another creative industry - advertising - alongside my art. That means I have never had to go knocking on doors [for funding]. The art world can be very cliquey and I don't want to play that game. I want to do it on my own terms.
FOND FAREWELL I might kill Suitman off soon. I'm thinking of having a funeral for him. It will be his ultimate show and it will be a spectacular farewell. But I've got one final ambition for him before that happens: I'm going to create an exhibition in Korea.