Olivia Joung




Nevertheless 그럼에도 불구하고
Thread and wire
50 cm x 200 cm x 50 cm (19.6 x 78.7 x 19.6 in)
2025

Nevertheless reimagines the familiar phrase, “Fate is tied with a red thread around our fingers.” Rather than a single unbroken line, I see fate as a tangle of threads: cut, knotted, unraveled, and rejoined. Through these gestures, the threads grow stronger, conveying the emotional depth of Jeong (정), a Korean sense of affection and attachment that deepens over time.

I connected short strands of red thread into longer ones, letting them fall softly to the floor, visualizing multiple ties once bound to fingers, now extended and tangled. Viewers are invited to tie them to their own hands, forming new, shared connections through touch.

Even through separation and conflict, we keep trying. It is nevertheless... Despite everything-that connection endures.







Passing Encounters 스쳐 지나가는 인연들에 대하여 2
Oil on canvas
100 cm x 100 cm each (39.3 x 39.3 in)
2025

Among the countless encounters we have, most quietly fade into distant memories, barely leaving a mark. Yet, some endure, weaving through our past, present, and even future. Whether they are destined bonds, momentary coincidences, or challenging relationships, when we pause to reflect on all these connections, we start to see a beauty we may not have noticed before. A quiet, profound sense of affection: jeong (정情) shared between us.

I used my fingertips to leave visible traces of paint, embodying the marks that every connection imprints on us. Through these gestures, I captured the presence of those moments, an exploration of the threads that tie us together and a way to rediscover the meaning and beauty hidden in the connections that shape our lives.







애지중지
Oil on Mosi Fabric
80 cm x 80 cm each (31.4 x 31.4 in)
2025

While living abroad, I often found myself missing home. To fill that emptiness, I held onto small memories and emotions with care, almost like tending to something fragile. This work came from thinking about how to express that tender feeling in my current life.

I used mosi fabric, a traditional Korean material made through many careful hands, because it carries a sense of time, touch, and dedication. Similar to minhwa, which tells stories about life in a playful way, I tried to reinterpret my own memories. Through repeated gestures and touch, I recorded the feeling of care and affection that I’ve quietly held onto.