Through her animal-laden mindscapes, Jaeyoun Shin shares the indelible marks of a deeply personal quest for meaning at the intersection of East and West.

During her time in the United States, Jaeyoun found herself embroiled in a myriad of cultural collisions, a highly demanding coming of age infused with the undercurrents of social anxiety.

Despite flashes of togetherness, she would often retreat into a protective cocoon for long periods of self-imposed isolation. It was during these darkened intervals that she grappled with a disturbing revelation: that she had become a product of othering, a mere projection of the labels and stereotypes affixed to her each day.

In a poignant act of creative rebellion, Jaeyoun unearthed in art a powerful medium for interrogating the maelstrom of negative perceptions, haunting obsessions, and tumultuous emotions that had taken residence in the recesses of her mind. Instead of succumbing to the allure of an idealized reality, her artistic lens deliberately fixates upon the imperfections, impediments, looming threats, seductive temptations, and moments of weakness that pervade the human condition.

As a silent yet astute observer, Jaeyoun charts unconventional pathways to break free from her chrysalis, striving towards a truer manifestation of selfhood. She also speaks on behalf of the fallen ones who longed to belong. Unveiling a tapestry of human fragility, she erases the demarcations that separate the familiar from the alien, and evokes a sense of solidarity when it matters most.

I Do not Belong Here (2016). Gouache and Gold Powder on Hanji. 132 x 132cm.

Deficiency II (2022). Goauche and Pigment Ink Pen on Paper. 50 x 32.5cm.

Domino Theory (2022). Acrylic, Oil Pastel, and Pen on Paper. 32.5 x 50cm.

Surrounded by Whispers 3 (2022). Acrylic and Pen on Black Paper. 45.5 x 37cm.

Deficiency I (2015). Gouache and Pen on Black Paper. 30.8 x 45.7cm.

In Your Wonderland (2021). Mixed Media on Black Paper. 35.5x50cm.

Discover more of Jaeyoun’s works in Issue 2 of our magazine!