Student Thaddeus Martin Finds New Inspiration in South Korea
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) student Thaddeus Martin thinks of his artwork cinematically. Whether he’s working in photography, drawing, painting, or even woodworking, he likes to conceive of characters and scenes to guide his creativity. A chance to study abroad in South Korea in the fall semester of 2024 continued to broaden his artistic horizons. During his time in the country, he experimented with new mediums, techniques, and subject matter—all while experiencing a new culture, exploring a new city, and making friends at Seoul National University (SNU) where he studied.
Martin talked to us about his overseas experience—including some photos he took during his time abroad.
What was the most memorable part of your trip?
The Seoul National University Buddy Program. It’s a program curated for exchange students from around the world and orchestrated by Korean students there at SNU. They were absolutely amazing—organizing events, sacrificing their schedules, and being extremely active in chats to help us out if need be. There were all sorts of people I would have never met had it not been for this program.
What kind of art did you make in Korea?
In Korea, I joined the Department of Oriental Painting, where I learned basic art-making processes, from canvas stretching to mark-making to rendering and finishing. The first half of the semester was focused on copying traditional portraits that already existed so that I could learn how to use the materials, and the second half was dedicated to working freely and painting my own subject matter in whatever size I wanted.
How did your experience influence your artistic practice?
My artistic practice drastically changed, from the components that made up my experience overseas, to the literal material I learned to use. Now, I find myself using ink and fabric much more often, where I would have never touched either of them before.
How did your study abroad experience shape your perception of the world?
My perception of the world is less scary. And by that, I mean that it’s not so hard to understand the size of the world anymore. As Americans, we get enclosed in our own country and think the rest of the world is so intangible and disconnected from us, when really, we’re simply a pretty isolated country while most other countries are so connected. It was really eye-opening to learn.
Why is traveling outside of the US important for artists and/or students?
I think as an artist, you will naturally be open to trying new things in your artistic practice. You’ll be interested in more subjects. It’ll definitely push artists, and students too, if they travel the world.
What advice would you give to students considering a study abroad trip?
The most important thing is to do research on the country’s governmental laws and societal laws. Of course you want to be law abiding, but you also definitely don’t want to be seen as rude or disrespectful to the culture.
Also, accept that you will feel alone in the beginning, or at some point. I recommend making small goals every day: going to the grocery store today, or going to a park somewhere. Set a route before you leave the house and explore things along that route. You’ll come to find that the more you do these things, the more comfortable you’ll get, and before you know it, you’ll be ordering food for the whole table in another language.
Take a tour of recent grad Yehimi Cambrón Álvarez's (MFA 2025) studio space.
