My practice poses questions about the “re”presentation of nature through natural materials. Since 2013, I have been producing a time-based material project called Something to Something. Stones pulverized into powder become a part of a painting of the stone—so both the material and image are a part of nature. Such works are indebted to my growing up with nature in South Korea. It is also influenced by my family environment. My father is a medical doctor who cures people by using leaves, plant roots, and stones; my mother practices Zen meditation. In both practices, nature plays an important role. I see nature microscopically and macroscopically, like a stone. Recently, I have been focusing on the meaning of space. I have collected materials since 2017 near the demilitarized zones (DMZ) between North and South Korea. I am expanding my work to social engaged work and collaboration with other fields.
A Hidden Garden in Korea: DMZ and Its Surrounding Area, 20 plants native to the DMZ found in the Midwest, soil containing soil near DMZ, and the container containing DMZ related objects
This project started from a question: How are we sculpting the Earth? This project focuses on the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the border of North and South Korea through an experience-based installation. For this project, like my simulated image, I will divide a gallery space in half by north and south with a border in the shape of the DMZ with plants natural to this area. I will grow a
“sampling” of plants found in the DMZ from all seasons and have a performative discussion session about the potential futures of the DMZ with the visitors. Opinions not covered during the session can be sent to me via postcards later. After the exhibition period, the plants will be distributed to those want to keep them to remember DMZ. An online platform will be provided for further discussion. This project asks its audience to reconsider the function of the DMZ. My hope is to start a discussion about the potential futures of the DMZ with people.
What Isn’t a Meteorite?, False meteorites and printed paper
What is the hidden value of the discarded false meteorite? Meteorites play an important part in our understanding of our planet’s formation and contain a wealth of information, but the majority of objects that people pick up thinking that they are from outer space are, in fact, decidedly terrestrial and often man-made. I am collaborating with Jennika Greer, a Ph.D. candidate in Geophysical Sciences at UChicago, to analyze the morphology and composition of different kinds of metal debris and human residues discovered in Lake Michigan. We are tracing their histories to enable people to see for themselves that this anthropogenic refuse is not meteoritic, and so better understand what we are doing on Earth. Our team present data from these objects in a way that values them as objects of study, even though they had been discarded, as we weave in aspects of the history of Lake Michigan.
Letter Landscape, Lettering and hammock
I wanted to bring nature to the space of my studio and make a landscape using words and imagination. When people see a word, they imagine its image. For example, if people see a word, like flower, then people immediately imagine their own flower. The idea is to make a landscape using this habit. I installed a hammock in my studio space, which has no access to sunlight, and some words using vinyl lettering on the space's walls. I hope people can imagine and feel their own waterfall and sunlight here.
Something to Something, Pulverized stone on paper and object installation
Being a daughter of a Korean medical doctor who cures people by using leaves, plant roots, and stones, nature has been a friendly presence accompanying me since I was little. Since then, I have seen myself as quiet and introverted, like a small wordless natural object - a stone. I pulverize stones into a mortar and draw images of stones using stone powder. Then I position the painting next to stones that have identical shapes to the ones that I draw. Stones are pulverized into powder and later become a part of the painting which again represents the image of stone-that is, a part of nature. In the painting, I depicted the relationship between objects in the cycle of creation and destruction by rendering the images of stones either dimly or clearly. I imply that although they may seem different from each other the two stones are actually interconnected in the perpetual cycle.
Something to Something, Detail, Pulverized stone on paper and object installation
This is a detailed image of the installation part of my painting-installation work. Stones, images, and I generate two seemingly contrasting binaries. The rugged and the smooth, the flat and the solid, the big and small, the positive and the negative, creation and destruction. These dualities are persistently brought into question throughout my work. Pulverizing is part of my work and I think it offers a source of appreciation for viewers. There is something performance-like in the difficult process of grinding stones. Although the image of stones on the paper may look like giant rocks or a mountain, due to their huge scale, one can recognize that they were actually drawn from the small pebbles installed on the shelf next to the painting.
Something to Something, Painting and installation using the stones near DMZ between two Koreas
Recently, I have been focusing on the meaning of space. I collected stones near the Demilitarized Zones between North and South Korea (DMZ). I imply the relationship between two Koreas, by title, materials, and composition on the paper. The two stones in my painting-installation work look like they are colliding but not crushing.
SomethingtoSomethinginstall, Pulverized stones and pulverized branch ashes on paper
I transformed my original painting-installation work into this hollow three-dimensional paperwork, which also maintains a feature of painting. By painting an object of paper with stone powder, I transcend the gap between a concrete figure of a stone and a merely wrinkled piece of paper to achieve the coexistence of painting and sculpture. The branch-shaped object is drawn with the ashes of a branch.
2019 May Blossom Project, Vinyl sheet and scissors
In the early winter of 2019, the sensory temperature was near -58 °F (-50 °C). The May Blossom Project is a flower-making project to overcome harsh winter in Chicago with participants in my academic circle. I installed silver-white flowers on the entrance door of the Columbus Building at SAIC. Participants replaced silver-white flowers with colorful ones they created. The project takes the form of flower festivals celebrating spring. It is inspired by the East Asian tradition KuKuSohHanDo. The story behind the tradition is that a long, long time ago when there was no electronic heating in winter, people drew a picture of a white plum flower tree with white plum flowers and attached the paper to the window of their home. After coloring all the plum flower blossoms red, spring had arrived, and the trees outside would also be in full bloom. In my project, by sharing it with many people in my circle, rather than enduring winter alone, they endure it together. When I had a reception, I distributed flower seeds for people to grow their own. I hoped people can feel the time and spirit of spring.
2020 May Blossom Project, Hand-coloring on paper
In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic is hitting the world. 2020 May Blossom Project was a project to overcome the pandemic emotionally using colorful flowers although the phenomenon is different. It is hard to find a person who hates receiving flowers except for those with flower allergies. I imagined the moment that the door opens, a flower greets you. I tried to create the moment. I produced paper flowers and displayed them on the elevators in my apartment. I tried to make people experience a little joy in a chaotic life using color and flowers. I made native flowers of Chicago considering the regional specialty.
Fellowship for Fellowship (FFF), Fellowship
Why should we always be chosen? The Fellowship for Fellowship (FFF) is a project offering an experience that SAIC graduate students can receive a fellowship if they want rather than waiting for being selected. I wanted to say that everyone is really great. All topics deserve respect. We will have to be constantly selected after this moment but at least, at this moment, I wished everyone could choose. I wanted to say below to the SAIC graduate students that will graduate this year. REALLY CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE! LOVE YOU ALL! YOU ARE VALUABLE AND GREAT!
My practice poses questions about the “re”presentation of nature through natural materials. Since 2013, I have been producing a time-based material project called Something to Something. For this project, the relationships between objects in the cycle of creation and destruction are represented by utilizing materials such as ground stone and branch ashes in painting-installations. Stones pulverized into powder become a part of a painting of the stone—so both the material and image are a part of nature. These images are also simultaneously disappearing and reappearing. There is no perfectly independent and unique substance in our endlessly changing world filled with relative, mutually-dependent relationships, an idea in line with the Buddhist concept of the void and selflessness.
Such works are indebted to my growing up with nature in South Korea. It is also influenced by my family environment. My father is a medical doctor who cures people by using leaves, plant roots, and stones; my mother practices Zen meditation. In both practices, nature plays an important role. From the time I was a child I have seen myself as quiet and introverted, like a small wordless natural object – a stone. I see nature microscopically and macroscopically, like a stone. Focusing on nature, I find small stones to be especially interesting objects. They condense enormous amounts of time and space within them.
Before coming to Chicago my main focus was traditional Korean painting, but moving to Chicago in 2018 to continue my studies, I chose sculpture for the new challenges it posed and the perspective it afforded. Recently, I have been focusing on the meaning of space. I have collected materials since 2017 near the demilitarized zones (DMZ) between North and South Korea. Currently, I am working on a project titled A Hidden Garden in Korea: DMZ and Its Surrounding Area. The DMZ is a border barrier that divides the Korean Peninsula roughly in half. The isolation of the DMZ has formed an unintentional political garden, which is now one of the most well-preserved natural areas in the world. I am trying to approach nature in the DMZ area from the perspective of a gardener. Through this work, I hope to open a dialogue with visitors and provide a different view to those who have not thought about this area in this way before.