Ji Young: Bedtime Stories

In a pure white space stands a cold aluminum wall. The light reflected off its surface feels colder still. Row upon row of dainty, pretty frames cover it. A girl with a cascade of curls holds her dog in her arms. If you wish, you can stop looking there and walk away with the simple impression that it's cute. But look harder, bring your imagination and observation to bear, and something unsettling begins to seep through.

(excerpt)

The emptiness inside us is sometimes so deep, so old, and so unfathomable that we cannot bear to look at it honestly. Rather than confront a wound, we tend to avoid it in order to endure the pain. The artist captures the countless subtle situations in life in which someone is hurt for reasons they cannot explain, and transfers that cruel reality onto a cast of dolls who suffer and are healed in our place, unfolding a fantasy world that belongs to them alone.

— Bomi Park (art columnist)