Seoul, b. 1997

[Layers of Deficiency: Reframing Through Monsters and Frames] The core theme permeating the artist’s work is ‘deficiency.’ While often dismissed as a negative element that renders humans incomplete, the artist strips away this stigma by infusing it with constant contemplation and observation. In her hands, deficiency is reinterpreted and brought to life as whimsical, fairy-tale-like creatures called ‘Deficiency Monster.’ These beings are meticulously crafted on soft felt, where the rich texture of oil pastels meets the delicate, sharp strokes of a pencil to create a sense of living fur. Narratives of deficiency—once marginalized and deemed trivial—are brought to the surface through the medium of the ‘Frame,’ which the artist hand-builds from stone clay. Traditionally a tool for exhibiting and preserving something precious, the frame here serves as a protective fence for deficiency. It provides the audience with the necessary psychological distance to step back and view their most intimate emotions through a lens of fantasy. The recurring signature of the work is the ‘Monster’—a pill-shaped creature with half-closed eyes that serves as the artist’s persona. The moment viewers lock eyes with these monsters, they undergo an indirect encounter with another’s deficiency. Yet, this gaze ultimately reflects back onto themselves. The artist invites the audience to meet the monster’s eyes, hoping this shared gaze becomes a moment to finally confront the deep-seated deficiencies within their own hearts.