Mother of Pearl (2024)
USC Roski Helen Lindhurst Fine Arts GalleryMother of Pearl explores the maternal relationship between a mother's womb and child using the metaphor of a pearl and oyster. Like the oyster, which transforms an intrusive grain of sand into a delicate pearl, motherhood is a complex nurturing process. Yet, in Katie Jung’s works, the mother figure is seen consuming or decoratively using the pearl instead of protecting it. Shaped by a void of emptiness and absence, Jung reflects on the emotional distance between her and her mother.
Through this solo exhibition, Jung attempts to explore the longing for her mother’s physical presence and the nuances of their bond. Jung's background from South Korea is also featured in her series of works. Cultural and material elements such as Korea's tradition of mothers preparing seaweed soup on their child’s birthday are woven into the works’ narrative. Through this exhibition, Jung seeks to understand the delicate balance between distance and care, and how the unseen efforts of a mother can shape us, even from afar.
Through this solo exhibition, Jung attempts to explore the longing for her mother’s physical presence and the nuances of their bond. Jung's background from South Korea is also featured in her series of works. Cultural and material elements such as Korea's tradition of mothers preparing seaweed soup on their child’s birthday are woven into the works’ narrative. Through this exhibition, Jung seeks to understand the delicate balance between distance and care, and how the unseen efforts of a mother can shape us, even from afar.
