I Feel Your Presence 2024, unique aquatint, sugar lift, hand-painted chine collé etching, Paper size 56 x 76cm

The etchings shown here belong to the Conceal or Reveal series and reflect my personal journey, from being born in South Korea, adopted and raised in Norway, to living and working in the United Kingdom as an adult. These works signify the merging of different identities and cultures, expressed through layered techniques and materials.

Grounded in the ancient craft of etching yet imbued with a spirit of innovation, the work incorporates hand-painted Korean paper as its foundation. Upon it, the word mother is written in abstracted Hangul, forming the backbone of the composition. The motif of mother refers simultaneously to my biological and adoptive mothers, and Mother Earth herself.

Through this synthesis, the work explores belonging, origin, and connection, unearthing layers of memory and meaning much like a palimpsest. It is both a personal and universal meditation on how our roots, histories, and environments intertwine to shape who we become.