“The Aesthetics of Earth–Mountain”

산흙미학 | 山土美學 

As a Korean-born artist based in Singapore, my practice centers on the quiet, enduring presence of nature — the forces that shape, contain, and regenerate life. I call this philosophy San-Heuk Mihak (산흙미학), or “the aesthetics of earth-mountain.” It is a personal visual cosmology informed by East Asian ideas of stillness, energy, and transformation.

My Mountain Series :SANN consists of oil paintings that depict not the visible outline of mountains, but the energy they emanate. Working with subtle gestures and restraint, I attempt to convey the mountain’s presence as something felt rather than seen — a field of quiet intensity. These works reflect my belief that silence can be a form of strength, and that painting can embody the invisible forces of nature.

My Earth Series:HEULG focuses on hanji floor paper — a humble, traditional yellow paper once used to line Korean homes. In 2021, I began working with this overlooked material in a new way, transforming it into textured, glowing surfaces that evoke soil, memory, and ritual. After encountering my works in Seoul, art journalist Park Hyo Sung coined the term Jangpanhwa (장판화), meaning “works created through jangpan paper.” While I did not name the genre myself, it originated from my approach and continues to evolve through my practice. traditional yellow paper once used to line Korean homes. 

I consider each Jangpanhwa piece a return: tree to pulp, pulp to paper, paper to earth. What grows, returns. These works are not meant to be read — but felt. Through surface, texture, and quiet vibration, they invite a different kind of attention — one that listens.

Together, my oil-based Mountain Series and paper-based Earth Series form two poles of one inquiry — into how nature moves silently through us, and how art can make that presence perceptible.