Grandmother flower [Pulsatilla koreana] that lives in a hive 

Korean Conception Dreams version.2
2019
Multi-dimensional 
(approximately 36.5(H) x 15(W) x 25(D) cm, 42(H) x 19(W) x 19(D) cm, 71(H) x 40(W) x 22(D) cm, 25(H) x 33(W) cm)
Fabric, dried chilly peppers, latex, and bells

I presented the archetype of a daughter and a son in Korea, especially that in my grandmother’s age, through two different artworks: Korean Conception Dreams version 1 and 2.

Regarding ‘Korean conception dreams version2,' the standing sculpture manifests the authority that you naturally have because you were born as a male. Let me make an example by quoting an old saying, “Man is a column in a house," which remarks the importance of having a man in a house. Additionally, I would like to mention this “funny story," when family eat fried chicken, mother says “The chicken wings are for daughters and the chicken legs are for sons!” (probably the chicken body would be gone for a father, then what does a mother eat? The neck of chicken). The reason for this unfair split can be found from which family woman will be belonged after marriage. Married women have to take part in husband’s family events, instead of going to her family events, particularly for new year’s day and thanksgiving day. In the past, people read the occurrence as daughters are people who will leave this family, therefore, I assume that giving chicken wings to daughters meant their leaving after their marriage. The chilly peppers in the head part of the sculpture are the one of the emblematic elements of the conception dreams for a son. Also, the word in Korean pronounces same as ‘penis’ in Korean, which I found it hilarious.

To clarify the connection between my work and the theme of ‘material hybrids,' I would like to state how latex, a core material of my art practice, was used in this work and my use of symbolic materials embodying cultural narratives, such as the chilly peppers and twisted fabrics. In ‘Korean Conception Dreams version.2,' latex was combined with fabrics and chilly peppers, and respectively, the combinations resulted in changes of texture and form. When latex was absorbed to the fabrics, the colour of gold fabric became more vivid and the colour of other fabrics turned to be slightly yellowish. Not only the colour changed but also the softness of fabrics transformed to a state of firm; in the combination between latex and chilly peppers, latex worked as a glue connecting each chilly pepper to stay collective and add a shiny feature on them. To sum up, the meaning of ‘material hybrids’ in my art practice is a method to create idiosyncratic shapes and odd aura by converting original natures of materials, and I believe it was shown through my work, 'Korean Conception Dreams version.2.'


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