SHIN HAEDAL

My work is about individuals living within the rules and norms of society.

To me, law is not simply a set of cold and difficult rules. It is, ultimately, a system created by people, for people. And within that system, each individual lives in their own way, with their own distinct character and color.

That is why my work begins not with an image, but with legal concepts and texts.

I begin by choosing a concept, then writing the title and narrative.

From there, I imagine the story as a scene and translate it into the visual language of najeonchilgi.

Legal concept → title and narrative → visual form.

The structure of thought I once used to write academic papers has naturally carried over into the structure of my work.

Even the same piece of natural mother-of-pearl reveals different colors depending on the light and the angle from which it is viewed. Even when cut into small fragments, its distinctive iridescence does not disappear.

In this quality, I see the individual—living within the rules of society while retaining a light and color of their own.

Lacquer gains depth through repeated cycles of coating, drying, and polishing. The depth of the lacquer brings out the light of the mother-of-pearl, while the iridescence of the mother-of-pearl, in turn, reveals the depth of the lacquer.

Within these stories also live scenes from contemporary everyday life and my persona, Eolbbang Haedal—the Spaced-out Sea Otter.

Even law, which can seem difficult or distant, can feel a little more familiar and gentle when encountered through Eolbbang Haedal's stories.

There is no need to understand everything from the outset.

It is enough to stop in front of a work because Eolbbang Haedal catches your eye,
or because the mother-of-pearl shimmers.

Then perhaps you read the title, discover the stories of law and tradition within it, and stay with the work a little longer.

And when you leave the work, I hope you might look at yourself within society with a little more kindness.