Yeo-ja[woman] 8 Painting

During my teenage years, I devoted more time to applying double eyelid tape and scrutinizing my appearance in the mirror than to focusing on academic studies. I stood out within my family for my heightened sensitivity to visual aesthetics and beauty. Envious of the seemingly flawless appearance of my peers, I often harbored feelings of inadequacy, perceiving myself as lacking in physical attractiveness with a flat nose, small eyes, and eyelids. My fixation on beauty became a coping mechanism, offering solace to my visually perceptive nature through the act of creating aesthetically pleasing artwork. The "Yeo-ja [woman]" series represents an introspective journey into my yearning for beauty and vanity. Inspired by traditional Korean ideals of beauty, particularly the adornment known as "Gache" worn by women during the Joseon era, I explore the profound cultural significance placed on physical appearance. This ornament symbolized the pursuit of beauty above all else, transcending material wealth in value. Across different time periods, humanity's unyielding desire for beauty remains unchanged, albeit manifesting in varying forms. In my artwork, I reinterpret this desire through vibrant and exaggerated depictions of hair and Gache, transporting viewers into an imaginative realm. Through colorful mixed-media pieces, I channel my longing for beauty, using the hair as a metaphorical conduit to convey the intricacies of human desire and the allure of aesthetic perfection.