American Slang

96.5 x 122 cm, 2013, acrylic on velvet

The selection of velvet for this piece is used to relay the sound and common traits of performers and singers of pop culture past. Like how the velvety sound of individuals such as Gene Kelley sooth the body and take you back to another point in time, this piece conveys the literal feeling of smoothness entwined with ridges from slathered paint.

Gold Bojagi

244 x 282 cm, 2014, cotton fabric

This piece incorporates the two sides of a single roll of fabric, both the same color but different reflective traits. In turn, it represents the two opposite perspectives of North and South Korea. Although historically the same people, the two countries have grown to have completely different attitudes and beliefs. The top ”North” section is a shimmering gold, which is the opposite of the flat drab colors normally recognized with the north. The bottom “South” section is the flat gold, which is contradictory of the luxurious arts and fashion of South Korea.

Denim

183 x 57 cm, 2014, oil and acrylic on denim

While traveling in China, the artist could not help but study the clothing and people of Beijing, Xi’an and Chongqing. What appeared to be one of the latest fashion movements were denim overalls, a staple for the hard working class. The simplistic complexity and beauty of the denim made a huge impact on the artist, for it was very common to see a woman walking down the street looking like she came from a labor-filled job with scuffed up elbows and hands, only to be followed by another woman dressed in the same denim overalls but with clean glowing skin and jewelry. It is these two women that the artist wanted to capture in this piece and how an ocean of denim dissolves the ever-so present social classes.