Aimee Youm is a visual storyteller and art educator who loves to find stories in everyday life and share the stories through meaning-making activities. She was born and raised in South Korea. After graduating from high school, her family migrated to the United States and settled down in Chicago suburban area. Aimee’s artistic background is in photography and installation. She received her bachelor of fine art in photography at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Aimee’s years of experience working as an exhibition coordinator and art educator in community-based art institutions has shaped her as an educator and artist who values diversity, accessibility, and inclusion at most. Her current education practice focuses on communicating and understanding from each other on the values we need to pursue for betterment through experiencing meaning making activities.
ONCE UPON A TIME: Collaborative Quilt Making Project
This thesis examines how collaborative art-making activity can bridge the Generation Gap among Korean Immigrants in the Chicago Suburban Area.
The Korean immigrant community in the Chicago suburban area has experienced a significant generation gap between older first-generation immigrants and younger second-generation immigrants. This gap has resulted in challenges related to communication, cultural values, and identity formation. Collaborative art making activity has been proposed as a potential tool for bridging this gap by providing a space for intergenerational dialogue and creative expression. This study also explores how collaborative art-making can enhance the sense of belonging and cultural identity among Korean immigrants, while also fostering understanding and social cohesion in the local community.
Collaborative quilt making project provides a place for participants to share their cultural experiences and express their value through art. Collaborative quilt making project can provide a place for participants to share their experiences, perspectives, and cultural values in a nonverbal and non-threatening way.
Using a mixed-methods approach, this research analyzes the experiences of a group of Korean immigrant adults who participated in the activity. Data were collected through pre- and post-workshop surveys, interviews with participants and analysis of participant artworks and reflection.
This thesis project provides a supportive environment for participants to engage in intergenerational dialogue, share their perspectives, and develop a greater understanding of each other’s experiences and cultural values.