Artist Statement

This body of work uses cloisonné enamel to visually depict the frustrations of being a Korean American living in the United States during a socio-political climate that is intolerant of immigrants. The rabbit in Korean culture are depicted in many folk tales and for that reason I use them to portray Korean identity, while I use the Statue of Liberty as the symbols for American identity. By having rabbits, handbook (traditional Korean Dress) and Statue of Liberty juxtaposed with one another, viewers are introduced to the challenge that comes from being immersed in two different cultures.

Within this body of work, different pieces reflect the different aspects of having a dual identity such as a sense of longing, the feeling of loss, disorientation, confusion, frustration, inequality, and stereotypes. The purpose of Two of a Kind is to analyze the stereotypes associated with each culture as a means of raising the awareness of what it means to operate in and navigate through different worlds.