Students’ Artworks and their Meanings (29 January 22)

Thought of making this thread because these elements beautifully captured the story, adding nuance and so much depth. It deserved more appreciation.

Disclaimer: I'm not an artist, nor have I formally studied art. This is my personal interpretation of these artworks.

This thread includes Nabi, Jaeon, Donghyeok, and Sol arts.

The 4 pieces that illustrate Nabi's growth, which also go along with the metamorphosis of a butterfly. Caterpillar - chrysalis - butterfly.

"Love"

Her earliest work revolved around her view of love and also depicted her relationship with her ex at that time. Immersed of one another, but broken and beaten.

The sculpture

Wounded by the trauma from her mother and her past relationship, this sculpture tells Nabi’s current. Broken, no hands, no legs. She's full of doubts and lost in life. A vulnerable soul.

She built herself again from scratch. Still shattered, but she has voices now, more power, and more force.

Whether it’s a beautiful ending or the opposite, there’s no answer. But she slowly takes charge of her life.

"Yeo ji"

It means “leftover” and “land”, a piece that holds a meaning of hope of something happening. Nabi, fully transformed into a butterfly.

She grew from ruins, learned to love again, and to make choices from her and for her. In the end, Nabi who was doubtful and hesitant takes full charge of her life. She transformed into a more beautiful version of herself.

This thread unpacks the butterfly as central imagery of this show, a very beautiful read.

The self-portrait sculpture

In ep1, it was shown briefly that Nabi was making the sculpture of her ex when her heart was for him. But later she created the Jaeeon one.

Her mind might resist it, but the heart doesn’t lie. Her inner feeling was pushing, strongly. Unconsciously, her heart moved her body, without her realising.

Jaeon's arc: the tattoo, the suncatcher, and the bracelet.

Three pieces that encapsulated Jaeon's journey of learning to love and his feelings for Nabi.

The tattoo

Jaeon drew a butterfly on Nabi's wrist with a water-based marker, when he still saw everything as a casual thing.

And it was something that he might do to other women, by the evidence of his friend who also had it which NB saw when they met at the club.

It was special for NB, but for JE it’s a metaphor of his current view on love and relationship. Everything is just temporary, it will wash away. And he will run away from it.

The suncatcher

JE didn't create art pieces for other women, it was only for NB. From the moment he crafted this, it was more and more apparent that he is sincere to her.

As a quiet person and an artist, this piece spoke so loud. And it reached her.

But he couldn't let go of his fear of commitment yet, like the butterflies in his house.

The suncatcher with shades of purple & green, their colours. A piece that NB can only enjoy in her place, a metaphor of their relationship that was confined in a room.

The bracelet

When he was finally ready to embrace his feelings, he carved it into a bracelet. It symbolised his solid feeling for NB.

From a temporary tattoo to a solid piece. From fleeting moments to a strong feeling. I see this piece as a continuation of　the suncatcher; his heart that he fully bared only in NB's place was released. He gave it to her, his heart is now with her everywhere she goes.

Following this, he let go of the butterflies, his ghost. Butterflies are meant to fly freely, so does the heart.

Sketches

A simple form, but still delivers deep meaning. NB and JE drew each other without too much thinking.

It’s the unconscious, and the unconscious is the most honest thing. Their inner feelings.

Through art is how they communicate, how they speak and they understand it.

In the end, it was a sketch that delivers the answer. An answer that was failed to deliver by words.

Photography and cooking

I realised Dohyeok also communicates with art. This is a crucial point that contrasts NB's relationship with DH and JE. DH captures what he loves and shares it with the world through photography & cooking. But, his art speaks on a different wavelength from Nabi. So did NB, they just speak differently. Hence, he never reached her to the layer as deep as JE did. The connection was on a different surface.

Union

Sol created this by railway sleepers; similar pieces that seemed meaningless, but assembled together, they become a powerful force that can endure the pressure of trains. Sol & Jiwan, their connection is rigid and strong, unshaken by the outer world. They grew together as best friends and later, lovers. Together, they give strength to each other.

midnight_oat