Part fantasy, part biographical, Koh Sang Woo creates an alternative vision of the world. Inspired by the real-life accounts of his chosen models, he dreams up artworks that push established cultural perspectives and social boundaries. First painting directly onto their bodies and then capturing a negative photographic image, his life-sized portraits appear in an inverted spectrum of illuminating colours. I met the Korean born and now New York-based artists at the opening of his latest show, at Islingtons Sesame Gallery.

This is your first UK solo show, what is the meaning behind the works in True Stories?

The title is True Stories but the concept of the work is about true love. I was searching for people that believe in true love and then I found this ordinary couple and wrote a short story board for them and asked them to do a shoot. In a way it is collaboration with the couple and myself.

You use real couples in your work, do people ever request for you to do their portraits?

Yes model and celebrities do. I had an offer recently but I said no because it becomes too commercial. They have been trained to move in front of the camera for fashion shoots etc and I really dont like that. I want it to be a modern creation with my own interpretation. I prefer ordinary people because they show more emotion and its more natural. You have to find someone that inspires you to work with them.

The way you present the body as a negative exposed image distorts the figure, what are you suggesting with this?

It is an escape from the reality and then moving into a fantasy. Because whatever story they may have, I am re-sculpting and then rebuilding it into a different world, through this process. Basically, I feed off their true love story, I paint onto their bodies, I take the butterflies and flowers and I glue them to their bodies. So, it is a complication procedure but as I work with them, then more and more it looks and becomes a fantasy. Also, here is one thing; I don’t like to expose too much because if it becomes too obvious then it is no fun. I like it when the viewer can figure it out.

I like the bold brush strokes that are visible on the figures, and obviously you use painting, photography and there is also a performance element as part of the process – how do you define yourself as an artist?

I have read some articles where they are writing about my work and they are debating is he a painter…he’s not a painter! In contemporary art you cant really make a distinguishment, it is all mixed media, you just work with whatever works best for you. In my works, first, it was more painting and photography and now it is becoming more sculpture.

Is there room to experiment with the colours?

When I first started, I used to have a video camera that would flip the colours in reverse on the monitor as I painted the bodies. But at this stage, I now know which colours are the opposite. Even right now, I’m looking at you and I can see you in the opposite colours. It took many years of training.

Last year you had a show in your birth-town in Korea that was almost banned and on the Sesame Gallery website you are described as kicking against the system, do you think of yourself as a controversial artist?

I think it was more controversial because I am Korean and although it has got a lot better, we are still very conservative. So, when you work with couples who are nude or for example a mixed race couple, like in one of my works, the gentleman is French and the woman is Korean; they are still not seen as 100% acceptable. If it was over here then it would be completely different.

How would you like people to react to your work?

In this exhibition its about true love and I hope people can remember how important that is in this very interesting society. There are people out there like the couples in my works with amazing stories.

How are you finding London, have you spent much time here?

Yes this is my third time here and I love it. I live in New York and I think London has a lot of New York qualities; its a bit more expensive but has lots of the qualities. Id love to move here for a year or two. Many of my favourite artists are from London and I also love British music.

What inspires you?

I think ordinary people do really, just relationships of normal people or dialogues that have happened. Whereas, some people no matter how beautiful they are, no matter how glamorous they are; they just dont interest me. It really depends on the person and their story.

Finally, Can you tell us what is next for you?

For my next project, its a different subject matter but with the same technique. Unfortunately there are people out there who have disabilities and Im working with this couple who are 85 years old. So that is next – its very interesting but controversial at the same time.