The Colorful Artist, riverhyung
Designer of the family-run website, “Mujigae Salads” or “Rainbow Salads”
(Meaning of the pseudonym: Real name Hyung Garam,
Garam is an old term for “river” or “lake”)
2023.02.28 - 2023.03.27 GALLERY SIL
I was about six years old when my mother taught me how to knit.
I have been knitting ever since.
I was homeschooled from the age of nine,
and a decade later left for Højskole, Denmark.
I am still learning how to tell my dramatic tales in a short and concise manner.
I often write long posts on my blogs, and reserve images of everyday stories for Instagram.
I love ugly potatoes and bumpy tomatoes. I love the accidentally-dented glass artworks born from my imperfection.
Sometimes, making mistakes is a way to make more creative and fun pieces. It is an utterly authentic technique that is uniquely mine as I live and breathe.
It is bittersweet that the more mistakes, the better the outcome.
This roughness is a limited edition, so I cherish it as much as I can.
Just like I can’t write or draw like I used to as a kid,
my current imperfection cannot be revisited later.
So I thoroughly enjoy it when I still can because I don’t want to leave any regrets.
Later I will be able to enjoy my smoother self,
and then will be able to appreciate myself with cracks, too.
<There will be days that are bitter, but this flavor is also part of life!>
(a quote from *Chae Hyun-Gook)
<let’s be happy>
The pandemic had just begun to spread in Denmark at the time as well, and all local students had to return home. International students remained in school, waiting for the day the school may or may not reopen. I was able to use the art classroom and I imagined him while drawing this. I was also deeply frustrated and depressed back then, but I guess I put him first before myself.
I hope you find the little happiness
that is tucked away by your side.
The story begins with <let's be happy>, which was drawn in 2020.
When I was in Hoiscole, Denmark,
there was a person who made me think that I could hope for someone's happiness so desperately.
Happiness was the reason why the heart could not be deeply connected even though they liked each other.
"I'm not a happy guy."
This word, which came out from him, lingered in his heart for a long time.
After that, I think I prayed for other people's happiness a little more than
my happiness.
And I hoped one day he could recite that "I'm happy."
as if I were carrying a sweet note in my wallet, I had my hope for him in my heart.
December 2022, Copenhagen.
I happened to stay at his house for about 10 days after two years.
We had a more interesting conversation than two years ago
and laughed a little more.
We cooked together, especially on the day we made Mandu (dumplings), he said, "Should we open a dumpling restaurant in Copenhagen?"
He also made a serious and jolly face.
On my last day, He had to go to work early so we said goodbye in the morning,
after that I sat alone at the quiet living room table and carefully tore a palm-sized sketchbook and left a small letter.
‘We can’t be happy all the time, but I hope many happy things happen to you.’
<Heart Latte Cup>
Somebody’s wishes in somebody’s heart. I wanted the cozy warmth to come through visually. (It might be a wish for ourselves. It depends on how you interpret it.)
And I thought.
I should wish you become a healthy person, then you can feel and catch it when happiness is around you even though big or small. I guess it's wishing for the person's happiness and cheering for future life. So this time, I wished for health.
And now that I'm writing this, I hope all of you become healthy people and find the little happiness hidden around you well.
I have felt a three-dimensional change after a person's flat words were conveyed to someone.
I wanted to visualize the moment.
Coming down from a flat kettle means a heart, and a three-dimensional cup also means a heart, but I'm always welcome to interpret it differently.
The cups and kettles were made of wire, and I wanted to express a fluffy three-dimensional effect, so I used cotton wool.
<Kettle>
A warm tea of many emotions in wishing someone’s health. I especially imagined positivity, hopes, kind consolation, and love in the blend. (and my heart!)
WINDOW EXHIBHITION
1-2
1-3
1-1
1-1 Heart Latte Cup / 1-2 Kettle / 1-3 let’s be happy