Gateways
Resin frame cast from artist’s mold, photograph printed on clear film embedded in resin
4” * 6” Each
2025
This work metaphorically explores the fragmented identity I experience as someone born in Korea and living in the United States, using the structure of a “gate” as its central motif.
I combine two types of gates—ornamental Spanish-style iron gates common in Los Angeles neighborhoods and the gates found in Korean apartment and building complexes—into a single object. Within this structure, I layer photographs of gates taken in Korea, printed on translucent film, and encased in resin casts, creating a multi-layered form.
The gate both protects me from the outside and conceals me from being fully seen. Ultimately, it is not only a barrier imposed by the external world but also an inner wall that I have constructed myself. Caught between two cultures, I continue to exist within this liminal space, behind the gate.