Artist Dawn has always resisted the strict conventions of K-Pop, the world-dominating music genre that launched his career. Defined by contagious beats and high-octane dance routines, it is also known for its highly manufactured bands, with powerful producers and record companies often enforcing draconian rules for its stars to live by.

E’Dawn (as he was then known) was a member of Pentagon, a boy band which debuted in 2016. He went on to join Triple H, and he has songwriting credits with both bands. However, his career took a turn when he defied industry rules that prohibit dating, striking up a relationship with his Triple H bandmate, Hyuna. Once their relationship became public, both artists were dropped by their label and went on to launch as soloists, releasing a series of records together.

Following their split in 2022, Dawn released a heartfelt and critically well-received album Narcissus, which documented his emotional journey. It was followed by a standalone single, Dear My Light, which described the good things the right person can bring into your life. His latest release is IG, an upbeat collaboration with producer duo GroovyRoom.

In an unexpected turn, Dawn recently decided to launch a virtual persona, while conducting his military service. The manufactured character is a visual artist named Edan Maverick. You could easily mistake him for a real person as you scroll through his dedicated Instagram, which was created by digital studio Oneness Korea. Maverick can be seen hanging out in London, enjoying the penguins at Frieze and debuting his work at Focus Art Fair.

Some of Edan Maverick’s visual work. Photo: Courtesy Outernet London

As its stars grow up, the world of South Korean pop music appears to be changing, as it receives broad international in the wake of enormous crossover successes like BTS and Blackpink.

Members of both bands, many of whom have been trained in dance, music and performance from their early teens, have branched into other careers as they enter their late twenties and early thirties. So, it’s no real surprise that Dawn is also looking to expand his repertoire.

Alongside conceptualizing his doppelgänger, Dawn has been working in film, sculpture, painting and augmented reality. Blacksheep, the work debuted at Focus, depicts this symbol of nonconformity, which perhaps represents how the artist feels about his position in the pop world.

He also collaborated with Sarabande Foundation resident Zongbo Jiang, to create an immersive film work of the same name. There are also a series of products detailed on Maverick’s Instagram which depict the sheep, with digital and physical art as well as furniture—although there is no palpable way of buying these products just yet.

We asked Dawn/Edan Maverick a few questions, to find out what was behind the decision to branch out into visual art.

Edan Maverick. Photo: Courtesy FOCUS Art Fair

It has been said that you are being reborn as a visual artist. Why did you choose this path? 

As a member of today’s society, I feel that being ‘reborn’ as a visual artist allows me to fulfil my role, by doing what I’m truly meant to do and what I’m best at. Even though I haven’t lived for very long, I’ve come to realize that we can’t navigate this world alone. I hope that what makes me unique as a visual artist can bring joy and strength to those around me—and even to someone living on the other side of the world.

Will you continue to make music?

I have no intentions to separate music and visual art in my life. They are both simply a choice of tools at a particular moment that I use to genuinely express myself.

Tell me about your creative process, where does an idea start for you and how does it turn into a piece of music or art?

A lot of images and stories start to come to mind rapidly, and from then on, I develop my work by reducing and condensing them one by one and thinking about how I can express them and communicate with the audience.

Your initial works include sculpture and conceptual art existing interchangeably in both the physical and digital realms. You are also an accomplished dancer. Would you ever incorporate movement into your artistic practice?

The movements of the body are simple, yet complex. While I understand conceptually that the body connects through certain processes in the brain, for me, dance has been ingrained since childhood, so it feels like something that happens naturally, without any specific steps or processes. My mother was a belly dancer, and I believe I was influenced by her.

So, I think it depends on how I choose to express myself. Depending on the environment and situation, I express who I am in many ways—through song, dance, painting, photography, words, and writing. You could see these as separate, but they can also be seen as interconnected.

You seem to be constantly adding more aspects to your creative work. How, does making visual art and music complement each other?

Vision and hearing seem to be akin to light and shadow. I may not always know what constitutes sight and sound, but when I want to express my existence and convey something to someone. It ultimately depends on the energy and vibe I feel in that moment—mentally or physically.

Sometimes, I want to express it visually through painting, photography, or sculpture, while other times I feel compelled to express it through song. There are no fixed rules. It varies based on the mood, environment, and my vibe at that time.

Isn’t this a reflection of chemical signals and the state of the brain? I wondered if ‘love’ might just be a neurotransmitter called phenylethylamine. Ultimately, could it be a command or system related to neurotransmitters?

You already have an established platform. What is the message you wish to convey to your existing and new audience through your art?

I hope, in some way, a positive impact reaches people. I want them to experience things they haven’t encountered before and be able to reinterpret their everyday lives and themselves through a multi-sensory perspective.