MFA Thesis Exhibition
Parallel Universe
At fourteen, I immigrated to the United States from Korea. In the process, I experienced and adapted to a new lifestyle within a culture very different from my own. Always curious, I have never stopped asking myself, “What would have happened if I stayed in Korea?” This sometimes leads me to think that maybe there is another “me” living in Korea without my knowledge. Of course, this idea has roots in my being a fan of Sci-Fi films, Japanese animation, and fairytales. Take for example the Japanese animated film, Spirited Away (2001) by Hayao Miyazaki, which portrays the story of a little girl who enters and becomes trapped in an alternate reality occupied by spirits and monsters. Or, the animated Sci-Fi film, Fantastic Planet (1973) by Rene Laloux, which shows humans domesticated as slaves or pets on a planet dictated by giant blue aliens. Both of these films have influenced my interest in alternate realities, connected with my bicultural experience, and thus influenced my work as an artist.
I find myself constantly wondering what would happen if we ignored common expectations? What if we got rid of the idea of impossibilities and explored the alternatives to the reality we inhabit?
The invisible truth is visible in Parallel Universe, my most recent body of work. As a result of the convenience and vastness of science and technology, we have become aware of the many different types of organisms living in our bodies – where we sleep, eat, and live – and yet do not think to look for them. We do not register these organisms in our head because they do not appear visible. Still I wonder, what happens if these things take over and control us? If our authoritarian roles reverse with these organisms, could that be our apocalypse?
Parallel Universe
At fourteen, I immigrated to the United States from Korea. In the process, I experienced and adapted to a new lifestyle within a culture very different from my own. Always curious, I have never stopped asking myself, “What would have happened if I stayed in Korea?” This sometimes leads me to think that maybe there is another “me” living in Korea without my knowledge. Of course, this idea has roots in my being a fan of Sci-Fi films, Japanese animation, and fairytales. Take for example the Japanese animated film, Spirited Away (2001) by Hayao Miyazaki, which portrays the story of a little girl who enters and becomes trapped in an alternate reality occupied by spirits and monsters. Or, the animated Sci-Fi film, Fantastic Planet (1973) by Rene Laloux, which shows humans domesticated as slaves or pets on a planet dictated by giant blue aliens. Both of these films have influenced my interest in alternate realities, connected with my bicultural experience, and thus influenced my work as an artist.
I find myself constantly wondering what would happen if we ignored common expectations? What if we got rid of the idea of impossibilities and explored the alternatives to the reality we inhabit?
The invisible truth is visible in Parallel Universe, my most recent body of work. As a result of the convenience and vastness of science and technology, we have become aware of the many different types of organisms living in our bodies – where we sleep, eat, and live – and yet do not think to look for them. We do not register these organisms in our head because they do not appear visible. Still I wonder, what happens if these things take over and control us? If our authoritarian roles reverse with these organisms, could that be our apocalypse?
