In my work, I build a narrative around associative objects and images to question or subvert the status quo. I aim to subvert societal expectations by portraying images of lurid purity and shaping unpleasant forms with symbols of beauty. I also produce satirical works that highlight absurd realities; examples include depicting dystopian settings and placing trauma in glamorized illusions made by the media. By doing so, I attempt to leave viewers with a feeling that something is wrong with the traditional visual language of the world we live in.
     I make art that reflects my Korean queer female identity. The vast majority of my artworks convey feminist ideas that challenge stereotypical expectations for women in our society. I tackle questions about the sexualization of women’s bodies, cultural expectations of motherhood, conventional standards of beauty, and the heteronormative, homophobic atmosphere that takes toll on one’s mental health. A lot of my works discuss the fetishization of Asian culture and the chasm between popular media’s portrayal of the world and the reality through the prism of my move from Seoul to Los Angeles.
     While I started out as a painter, I have strenuously endeavored to work with new forms of media. I have worked with sculptures, animations, installations, and mixed media. I have made experimental pieces using food and found objects as the medium. Regardless of my medium, I am meticulous, and I believe that the feelings I attempt to convey must be supported by the highest levels of craftsmanship and technical mastery. Because I focus on bringing to light the full depth of the human experience of the marginalized, my work tends to be extremely detailed. This does not mean that I pursue hyperrealism but that even when I explore impressionistic styles of art or depict exaggerated features, I painstakingly craft details, whether that means hand-painting thousands of individual hairs on a woman or meticulously measuring and scaling the proportions of a syringe that is part of a sculpture.
     To me, art is much more than an aesthetic experience. The media I choose, the colors I apply, and the portions of the world I choose to depict are all driven by the experiences and ideas that shape my process. At a time when symbols, beauty, and truth are all being used in the service of war within society, I believe that it is more important than ever to question symbols, express beauty, and defend truth through art.
     I don’t believe that my own experience of marginalization qualifies me to make the fullest use of my artistic talents; everyone who suffers is marginalized in her own way, and I am determined to inform my art with a deeper understanding of the way we operate. Although my early work dealt with themes relating to my own identity relatively directly, I have been working to expand the scope of my vision by constantly educating myself and amplifying voices of other marginalized groups.