Two of a kind

This body of work visually explores and expresses the frustrations of being a Korean American living in the U.S. in a socio-political climate that is intolerant of immigrants. I utilize base metals and enamels as my media choices to examine and visually depict the challenge that comes from being immersed in two different cultures. Cloisonné is an important form of art in Korea and the materiality assigns preciousness to the objects. This project addresses and opens a dialogue between Korean Americans, Asian Americans, and all other Americans and Koreans to address the sense of alienation that often results from being neither fully one or the other culture and the feelings of separation that result from this experience. The primary technique I use in my project is the process of cloisonné enameling, and I choose to use it because of its prevalence in Korean metalwork. The iconography that I use is not typically seen in Korean art, and the limited availability of Korean art outside of the country makes it difficult for Americans to understand. My goal with this creative project is to analyze the stereotypes associated with each culture as a way of raising the awareness of what it means to operate in and navigate through different worlds.