The Odd Eye 2 is an extension of Jimin Kim’s practice of presenting elements from Minhwa (민화), Korean folk painting, with the ‘Odd Eye,’ an invented symbol that calls attention to the relationship between tradition and the present.
As a part of The Odd Eye series, the piece presents Yeonhwado (연화도), a frequent theme in Minhwa that depicts a scenery with lotus flowers (연꽃) and birds. Emerging from the mud without stains, lotus has served as an emblem of love and serendipity in Korea, often paired with common kingfishers (물총새) and mandarin ducks (원앙새) in folk paintings. The common kingfisher landing its leg on a lotus seed and the mandarin duck gazing at the flowers altogether symbolize one’s longing for eternal prosperity.
Amid the lotus leaves blossoms the ‘Odd Eye’ – the intermediary between the traditional scenery and the viewer in the present. Centering the traditional illustration, the ‘Odd Eye’ invites the audience to bring themselves into the scenery. Accompanied by a wavy tail-like feature surrounding its pupil, the ‘Odd Eye’ transcends the boundaries of time, bridging the past and present.
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