About the art

My painting work is a representation of collage, with different figural and geometric elements interacting with one another.

Being Korean in America is a daily reminder. A visceral reaction to my fluency in Korean becomes an example of my ‘foreignness,’ my ‘oriental’ nature to Americans. My childhood school lunches, packed lovingly by my mother, were mocked and belittled for being ‘disgusting’. My name, the most central part of my identity, became obsolete due to the inability of others to pronounce two syllables. Being Korean in America is like being told that not only do I not belong, it’s ingrained in my culture- my appearance- that I’m not.

They express their feeling of lack of belonging through surreal figures being eclipsed by shards and fragments of memory and experience. Their love of color, experimentation, and empathy led them to study psychology and studio art while finding themselves navigating the aftermath of many years of traumatic events. They love to utilize any and all forms of a medium to their fullest extent. Their work is largely inspired by perhaps in part an attempt to reconnect with the young, joyful child they used to remember while searching for their own version of identity. Their self-labeled, cold, and over-rational perfectionist thought process is scrutinized and actively challenged with the incorporation of complex, often stigmatized themes of various types of personal trauma. These themes are interwoven with a purposeful focus on texture, color, and imperfection.

For Inquiries or Commissions, email is provided.