“Hwadab” 和答
It is rare to read a Western phonetic spelling of an Asian word that consists of two symbols and appears to show a tree, a wall and a house. Since Asian symbolism is not linear to the signs and symbols of American English, the sound of this word is offered as an open door. “Hwadab” is a humanist concept that means a response to a work of either poetry or music. It formally signifies one artist’s creative response to the work of another, showing the grand depth and plurality of Asian visual culture, one that is in fact part of a larger ongoing dialogue with tradition that has lasted centuries. Through this process, artists locate their own medium and establish a unique style and conviction.
In 2017 Seong-Eun Kim presented ten new paintings on this subject. For Kim, who lives and works in Seoul Korea, these paintings function together as a single response to the Asian traditions that she has long respected but also continues to question. As contemporary Western culture continues to expand technologically, citizens throughout Asian countries such as Seong-Eun Kim have no choice but to move forward with these new developments. “Hwadab” for Kim is not just a response to other significant works of art, but it is also a reconciliation of the shared past with the artist’s present.
Unlike most artists, Seong-Eun Kim is self-taught. Although she was creative at an early age, her daily life took a practical trajectory that is reflective of others who have to select a professional education and…
