Hapa Stories
A retelling of traditional folktales, mythology, and customs from my mixed perspective and upbringing.
A retelling of traditional folktales, mythology, and customs from my mixed perspective and upbringing.
Porcelain, underglaze
6 x 5.5 x 4.25 in
This is a sculptural Moon House made for Daeboreum 대보름 2024. Before the final firing, I ceremoniously set the sculpture aflame inside a paper mache egg while waiting for the full Moon to rise. The figure's body is the house with open hands to receive the and hold the Moon's spirit. Humanoid with the face of a dragon, the figure not only evokes the 2024 zodiac, but also what it means to find the spirit inside one's self.
Lowfire clay, ink, acrylic paint
10.75 x 6.75 x 6.75 in
The Moon Bunny diligently pounds away atop a little mochi world. A rice paddle, a favorite bowl, and a microwave is all it takes to make some magic.
I liken my experiences making mochi to the folktale of the Rabbit on the Moon. Traditional symbols meld with my own symbolic lexicon to create a contemporary reimagining.
Lowfire clay, ink, acrylic paint
19.25 x 8.25 x 4.75 in
How do we see ourselves reflected in stories? In Korean folktales, the tiger can be malevolent, ridiculous, or even kind. IT doesn't portray a singular type of character, rather it's shaped to fit the lesson of the story.
When likening my experiences making mochi to these classic folktales, I wonder what role I fit into. Am I a person trying to evoke the spirit of the tiger, or am I a tiger disguised as a person?