Jihyun Kim

This body of series was inspired by Jihyun's grandmother's ritual of placing a small ceramic jar filled with salt near the entrance of their South Korean home. This jar was believed to prevent negative energy and evil spirits from entering the household, and it is a widely held belief and superstition in South Korea.

Jihyun merged this tradition with the enchanting properties of fairy rings, which are circular formations of mushrooms that have been interpreted in various ways throughout history. Drawing inspiration from these two sources, Jihyun created a series of salt containers, aptly named 'Salty Fairy Ring' which embody a sense of wonder and magic.

The inspiration for 'Fingernail Fungi' came from Korean folklore about fingernails and the mouse. Jihyun's grandmother always told her not to cut her fingernails in the night because the mouse will eat them and become her.

She incorporated this mystical tale with the poisonous and hand-like appearance of the Red coral fungi. The dangerous properties of the mushroom serve as the driving force behind the artwork, ensuring that the piece not only contains fingernails but also safeguards them from the covetous appetite of mice.

This is the candle holder that was derived from a Korean traditional ritual for ancestors and the work is named, ‘Guidance Lichen’. The majority of the Korean family does a ritual every year to thank luck and wish happiness for their ancestors and invite their spirits to the house and serve them food. The smoke of the candle acts as a navigator for the ancestor to find the house and Jihyun incorporated the story with the healing property and important ecological symbiotic role of lichen.