Chaeyeon Ma
Korean Womanhood: From Self to Selves
Class of: 2028
Major: Strategic Design and Management BBA
Medium: Mixed media installation (2D drawing, digital collage, sculpture, and sound)
Faculty: Beau Bree Rhee
Prompt: This final project is a multi-media self-portrait that explores the idea of “self” and “selves” through personal memory, cultural research, and material experimentation. The assignment asked students to create at least two media elements—such as 2D, 3D, or time-based work—while integrating research from the Met Museum and historical or mythological references. The goal was to build a cohesive visual world that reflects how identity evolves through history, community, and lived experience.
When I first heard that our final project would be a self-portrait, the first image that came to my mind was something Korean and traditional. Throughout my childhood, I followed my grandmother to her weekend pungmul and gugak rehearsals, where she played the kkwaenggwari. Listening to its sharp sound and watching performers in traditional clothing quietly shaped my understanding of myself as Korean, making my return to these memories instinctive.
Across my analog drawing, digital collage, 3D sculpture, and sound work, I built a world that reflects both my individual identity and the shared identity of Korean women.
In my analog drawing, I used traditional meok ink, layering diluted washes and gradually building darker tones. I created a hanji-like background using watercolor pencils and water, and depicted myself wearing a modern interpretation of hanbok, combining floral patterns and ribbons to connect past and present. Researching ganggangsullae became central to my concept. Historically performed under the full moon, the dance gathered women to share emotions, support one another, and move as a collective. In my digital collage, I layered Korean newspapers, jingyeong landscape paintings, cranes, and a glowing moon containing mugunghwa, Korea’s national flower. By placing myself among the dancers, the work shifts from a single “self” toward a sense of “selves.”
My 3D work abstracts the movement of the dance using red, blue, and yellow clay—colors found in traditional hanbok—formed into counterclockwise pathways. Three clay forms lean into one another, symbolizing mutual support and shared strength.
The sound piece combines memories of Korean summer with imagined palace sounds, ending with “Jungjeon Mama,” a symbol of female authority in Korean history.
Ultimately, this project is a portrait of myself, but also of the women, memories, and cultural rhythms that continue to shape who I am.