Memory Boxes
Hee-won Shin
The Closet, 2025, oil on canvas, 23.5 x 35.5 in.
This work is based on the idea that people’s childhood memories are not very different from one another. It presents objects from distant memories in the style of chaekgado, a form of Korean still life painting.
The “closet” object, in particular, invites viewers to remember playing inside a wardrobe as a child. The patterns on the closet are inspired by traditional Korean mother-of-pearl furniture.
Grandma’s Jewelry Box, oil on canvas, 21 x 21 in.
The “Jewelry Box” in the title refers to a jagae box, a jewelry box decorated with traditional mother-of-pearl craft.
This work began from childhood memories of playing with my grandmother’s cosmetics or pearl necklace, along with the idea that her greatest treasure was her grandchildren.
Nori ; in Nature
Watercolor and pencil crayon on paper, 6.5 x 4.5 in.
Nori ; in the Cave
Watercolor and pencil crayon on paper, 6.5 x 4.5 in.
Nori ; in the Closet
Watercolor and pencil crayon on paper, 4.5 x 6.5 in.
This series of watercolor works served as the foundation for the two canvas pieces. It began with an interest in how children’s ways of playing are naturally passed down without being taught.
Memories such as making meals out of grass and flowers, building caves with blankets, and playing inside wardrobes evoke a sense of shared experience. These moments create empathy that transcends time, place, and culture. The artist hopes this shared empathy can become a meaningful stepping stone toward compassion and love between people.
