Collage

In 2013, I came face-to-face with my first biological family member. This person was not a birth parent, sibling, or cousin, but my beautiful daughter. Giving birth was the last way I thought I’d meet a blood relative, yet it happened. But instead of gaining clarity, I found myself surrounded by barriers of question and abstraction. What did my birth mother go through? What powerful force was responsible for separating us at birth? Did she cry? Does she miss me? Is it even possible to miss someone you never knew?

This work explores notions of motherhood, emotional longing, physical distance, and questions of culture and connectivity. The imagery is a combination of found textures and photographs from home and Korea. Though familiar elements are used, once recognizable forms quickly become indistinguishable and elusive—reminiscent of the thoughts and memories of my adoption journey.

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Update: Though seemingly unrelated, the methods I’ve used to navigate identity as a Korean adoptee are the same tools I’ve used to overcome adversities as a single parent. What both experiences share is the feeling of being perpetually displaced; a sense of constant obligation to a particular title, task, or expectation, but never being able to fulfill one. At the same time, there's a unique opportunity to create new space—for me, this takes form in art and design. Whether it’s digital art or a commercial project, the objective is always the same: identify the missing parts and build until they become its greatest advantage.