What Slowly Comes Together (2025)

My work begins with a contemplation of the relationship between nature, time, and human existence. At the center of this are the Buddhist philosophical concepts of pratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination) and mujō (impermanence), both of which are treated as essential ideas in Buddhist thought. These concepts are deeply embedded not only in my artistic thinking but also throughout the entire making process. I believe that all beings are not fixed entities but arise and vanish temporarily through mutual conditions. As a result, this worldview leads me to see nature not as something to be dominated by humans but as something to coexist with and harmoniously borrow from. This perspective forms the foundation of how I handle materials and the basis of my visual language. I collect materials from my surroundings—mainly plants, discarded cardboard or paper, and food scraps. I mix and grind these materials to make paper by hand and dye the paper using ink extracted from natural sources. Subsequently, through the process of coating the surface with beeswax, I try to visualize the idea of a “temporary existence.” The handmade paper I create is not only a mixture of various material properties or sustainable components but also a relational medium born through accidental effects between heterogeneous elements. Therefore, it symbolizes that no being can exist on its own and emphasizes the importance of coexistence. My works resemble living organisms without permanence, which may change or disappear over time. This is connected to the Buddhist philosophy that all beings are constantly changing and disappearing, and it also critiques the consequences of overproduction in modern society—such as resource depletion and environmental destruction. In my work, I connect the physical characteristics of the materials with philosophical ideas. The beeswax I lightly apply over the handmade paper acts as both a protective shield and a transparent membrane, existing on the boundary between the visible and the invisible. The wax absorbs light and gradually reveals plant debris, stains, or paper fibers that had been hidden on the dry surface of the handmade paper. Moreover, these changes subtly vary depending on the day’s weather, lighting, and surrounding environment, giving the work different colors and moods for each viewer. This potential for constant change reflects the Buddhist concept of śūnyatā (emptiness)—that there is no fixed self or essence and that all beings constantly change according to conditions. In this sense, this philosophy encourages us to move away from a binary view of nature and civilization. It proposes a view that goes beyond the idea that nature is pure and civilization is destructive and instead suggests that nature and civilization are inevitably in a continuous relationship, constantly interacting. Ultimately, this is not a unilateral critique of industrialized civilization but rather a hopeful message that nature and civilization can embrace each other, move toward positive transformation, and coexist.