Talisman Series

The canvas for my exploration is the bathroom, a sanctuary where our truest selves emerge. In this intimate space, I delve into the profound concept of "private thought," seeking to capture the tranquility that arises in moments of solitude. Each stroke aims to foster a sense of relief.

The series, "Woman in the Bath," originating as a self-portrait, transforms into a broader reflection on identity. The androgynous figures within private spaces transcend traditional gender norms, providing a universal backdrop for introspection. Delicate flowers, veiled in a clear translucent liquid, symbolize the persona—fragile, beautiful, and revealing the concealed essence of self.

Woman in the Bath

The Spirit Illness series explores my long-suffering of a spiritual and metaphysical experience. For most of my life, I endured a series of unexplained symptoms such as undiagnosable depression, extreme fatigue, alcoholism, dreaming and seeing of spirits, and precognitions. Finally, I was diagnosed with a culturally-specific spirit illness, known in Korea as ‘Sinbyoeng’ (신병). The Spirit Illness series began in 2019, and fortunately, the symptoms were diagnosed and treated successfully through a shamanic ritual in July 2020.

​The series mostly includes self-portraits with snakes and animal symbolism. It is a growing body of work, as there are many more stories yet to be told.

spirit illness series

The Peace Lily Playground series represents one of my earliest moments as a young child. It paints a turning point where the world was no longer so small and confined to my life at home. My perception of the world, which was not very safe, was broadened by encountering a little boy who is represented as the goldfish in the painting. Peace lily, for me, represents home, which also equates to where I find peace and calmness. I also relate the sense of purification with the plants.

All of the memories are somewhat blurry and almost dreamlike. Hence, the paintings show real elements in the world composed in a way of a surrealistic perception, such as the fish that playfully swim around a peace lily plant.

Haejin Yoo