[ About ]Ara Youn is a Korean artist based in the UK. Raised in Seoul, living in the UK and shaped by three decades of creative practice across Korea and London, she has always moved between disciplines with curiosity.
Before she was a painter, Ara was a textile artist, a graphic designer, a global corporate creative, and a fashion founder. These experiences each added its own layer to her artistic language, and all of them show up in her work today.
Ara's work is held in private and commercial collections in the UK, the United States, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Norway.
[ bio ]Background
2022 - Present Artist
2022- 2025 Textile Artist & Knitwear Designer, ARA STELLA
2018 - 2023 Creative Director & Womenswear Designer, AEIBE Ltd
2010 - 2018 Senior Branding Designer, Samsung Techiwin Europe
Education
2008 M.A Graphic Design, University of the Arts London, UK
2007 FdA Visual Communication, University of the Arts London, UK
2004 Communication Design, Samsung Art and Design Institute, Seoul, South Korea
2000 Textile Art, Kyungwon University, Seoul, South Korea
1997 PMJH Art School, South Korea
Exhibitions
2025 Lido Open, The Lido Stores, UK
2025 Do Androids Dream?, Oriel Croesor, UK
2024 BEEP Painting Biennial, Elysium Gallery, UK
Awards
2025 Short-listed, Lido Open, UK
2024 Long-listed, BEEP Painting Biennial, UK
2009 Short-listed, iida Green Communication Design, South Korea
2007 1st Prize, Penguin Book Design Award, UK
Interviews