Ma. Eugenia Pérez Burger will give a talk at the 15th edition of Montevideo Comics, where she will also present the exhibition *Impresiones*.
Could you summarize your time in Korea?
My experience in Korea began in 2013 when I was awarded a scholarship through programme Korean Government Scholarship programme, which is offered by the South Korean government to students worldwide.
Personally, I had been interested in exploring Asia and continuing my studies in design and visual arts for years, so this experience allowed me to fulfill two dreams at once—and it was, by the way, a pivotal moment in my professional and personal development.
The scholarship involves studying Korean for one year and, after obtaining an intermediate-level certificate on the TOPIK international language proficiency test, pursuing an undergraduate degree.
In my case, I completed a two-year Master’s degree in Visual Arts and Design at Seoul National University.
How was your return to Uruguay?
After completing my master’s degree, I returned to Uruguay in September 2016 and immediately began working at Universidad ORT Uruguay an instructor for the Digital Art and Video Editing Workshop.
Although I was on the other side of the world from Uruguay, I maintained my personal and professional ties with the country, so my return was a positive experience.
I handled the post-production for the music video “Al sur del atardecer” by Cayó la cabra and La Vela Puerca, and worked with a Korean content production company with an international staff. In the advertising industry, I served as art director for the 28th edition of Desachate, held in March by the Uruguayan Advertising Circle.
I am currently teaching Video Editing and Web Animation classes at ORT, and working to build relationships with Korean universities.
In direct connection with Korea, I am working as a Korean culture instructor for the King Sejong Institute and collaborating with the Korean Embassy to promote cultural ties between the two countries.
As for my freelance work, I am currently providing branding consulting services in the academic sector (private) and participating in animation, illustration, and corporate design projects.
How would you rate your experience in Korea?
My time in Korea has been a turning point in my life, both personally and professionally.
Finding myself in a completely different and foreign culture, with values and social norms that differ from those of our own culture, has helped me develop resilience and patience. I have learned from its Confucian culture—which is associated with Korea and Asia—as well as on an international level, since the scholarship program brings together students from all over the world.
Professionally, I earned a Master’s degree in Visual Arts and Design, studying Korean art and culture in depth, with specialized courses in Asian art, calligraphy, paper, printmaking, and painting.
I was selected as an artist for the ART-UNÍ-ON Art Program, sponsored by Hyundai Motor and Seoul National University, where I participated in an artist residency and created site-specific works under the mentorship of Sangmin Bae (KAIST).
I received an honorable mention in the “Seoul Brand Contest” for the city of Seoul’s new identity with my logo design, a merit award in the “SOKI International Design and Illustration Competition,” and was selected to design and implement an identity project for a shelter commissioned by Seoul National University (“SNU.IGSR. Global Social Responsibility,” and the creation of a design selected for the construction of a multimodal eco-educational space in Zambia, “New Spaces For People and Knowledge in Zambia.”
On the artistic front, I was selected by the Korean art gallery ART1 to be represented as an international artist at the “ART Edition 2015 – International Art Fair” Biennial, and I have continued my relationship with the gallery.
In terms of cultural exchange, I was selected as an international student ambassador for an integration program sponsored by the South Korean government, where I carried out integration and communication tasks.
You'll be attending the 15th edition of Montevideo Comics to showcase one of your works.
The exhibition titled *Impresiones* establishes an audiovisual connection between Korea and Uruguay based on the concept of love, drawing on an exploration of the social foundations embedded in contemporary belief systems.
It stems from the visual impressions gathered during my stay in Korea, decoding the iconographic, alphabetic, and chromatic systems that were initially perceived as textures. Once I had mastered the Korean language, studied traditional art, and become integrated into society—gaining an understanding of the values that underpin its culture—the impressions that give rise to a contemporary Western interpretation of the country began to emerge.
In addition to the “Impresiones” exhibition, Ma. Eugenia Pérez Burger will give a talk on Saturday, May 20, at 5:30 p.m. at the Sodre National Auditorium, titled “My Days in Korea.”