REPRESSED SOUL

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   Throughout the course of our life cycle, the necessity to conform to family, social environments, and societal expectations compels us to suppress our true selves. Over time, this becomes an unconscious, automatic process, gradually poisoning our spirits.

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   The motivation behind bringing my works to life began with contemplating this issue. To concretely express the state created by interventions that deviate from the norms governing the limited human lifespan, I chose candle. A candle serves as a fitting example when metaphorical approaching the anomalies of the human experience within the constraints of a finite lifetime. Just as reducing the oxygen supply to a candle flame results not only in the production of soot but also, at times, the extinguishing of the flame itself, it symbolizes the moments when we stifle our true selves.

 

   Furthermore, in these pieces, I used correction tape to attempt to conceal and bury the soot. This underscores the ineffectiveness of the secondary identities we manufacture in our quest to fit into society's mold when the essence is never entirely obscured by the correction tape. This technique serves as a visual metaphor, highlighting the fact that the suppressed cannot be completely masked when we try to distance ourselves from our genuine selves in an attempt to conform to the societal norms.

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   My artworks aim to provide viewers with an opportunity to reflect on themes of inner struggle, identity, and authenticity. I hope these works inspire you to explore your own true selves and shed light on the realities that emerge from suppressing our essence while striving to conform to the societal norms.