My work addresses my personal grief process for the intergenerational trauma I have experienced as a member of a family subjected to state violence during Korea’s democratization process. These works serve as containers that hold my multifaceted emotions, memories, will, and aspirations as I confront narratives that were silenced or deemed taboo in Korean culture due to concepts like shame and social appearances.
Using fragile and reconstructive materials such as paper and fabric mâché, along with digital effects, I create spaces to untangle and name fragmented emotions and memories, reconfiguring them into new forms. Moreover, the image of the sea represented in my work draws on Nordstrom’s (2013) concept of the Ensemble of Life, which explores objects as Deleuzian spaces where subjects and objects, living and non-living entities, coexist and interweave.
The sea, in particular, plays a central symbolic role in my work. It serves as both a relic of my family’s trauma and a Fold that connects the deceased with the living, past with present, and memory with hope. The sea surrounding the island where significant Events occurred preserves and commemorates past events while simultaneously offering new memories and healing (a Life) to the present family. In this way, the sea functions as a multichronological space that bridges past, present, and future, symbolizing resilience and intergenerational connections.
My piece Connection encapsulates these narratives, weaving personal experiences with broader historical, cultural, and social contexts. By visualizing the intergenerational trauma and resilience of my family, the work invites viewers to reflect on their own stories and emotions. Through the use of fragile yet transformative materials, the piece symbolizes processes of reconnection, regeneration, and the creation of new narratives, embodying my family’s resilience and the commitment to shaping a renewed identity.
Furthermore, this work goes beyond individual healing to highlight the significance of collective memory and historical context. Within the framework of transitional justice, it provides a space to visualize pain, commemorate loss, and explore possibilities for reconciliation and rebuilding. By remembering the past, restoring the present, and envisioning the future, the work proposes a hopeful vision for personal and societal healing.
