The emptiness, at first glance, sounds like a lingering, painful aftermath of something lost. Recently, I experienced the dissolution of relationships through a breakup with an old lover and the death of a longtime friend, prompting me to contemplate this process more deeply than ever before. In this world, many relationships disappear rapidly, and while we may feel the void left behind and grieve. However, the emptiness, so natural and inevitable, is a state with infinite potential.

In Eastern philosophy, 'Yoo(existence)'  and 'Mu(non-existence)'  are viewed as essentially the same, where 'Mu' does not imply absolute absence but represents the fundamental source that produces the all-encompassing potential of 'Yoo'. They engage in a mutually influential relationship where non-existence continually gives rise to existence. This concept aligns closely with the notion of 'emptiness' in East Asian art.

The crucial element of 'emptiness' in East Asian art is not merely perceived as an empty space but is regarded as another form of space. Natural elements like mist and water, which are dynamic and ever-changing, are expressed through these white spaces, signifying a form of free space. The seemingly empty space, easily perceived as 'Mu', conveys meaning, and well-arranged emptiness can communicate more eloquently than what is depicted. Therefore, emptiness is filled, transmits energy and achieves completion through dissolution.

My work is created from the perspective of East Asian painting. The white cube represents emptiness from a painterly standpoint, and the space of emptiness is filled with water and mist, typical of East Asian art. Inside the cube, water and mist vibrate incessantly, producing powerful energy, but  it too must eventually dissipate. Just as everything in the world eventually disappears and is replaced by something new, similar to the concept of 'Mu' existing to produce 'Yoo' in Daoism, emptiness is emptied to be filled.

I created a mechanism using moss to create gaps in the energy inside the cube. Moss, the oldest plant on Earth, holds significant importance in East Asian art. Known as ‘Taejeom’, meaning 'moss dot,' it is depicted on the canvas as a dot. When moss dots are placed in ambiguous empty spaces, they prevent the flow of energy from escaping and breathe life into the objects they touch. Overall, moss dots regulate the flow of the painting and refine the empty spaces.

In the artwork, moss dots are deliberately positioned in front of the white cube, interacting with the audience. When these moss dots react to intentional or unintentional contact, they stimulate the mist inside the box, releasing it outside and creating gaps in the emptiness for 'Yoo'.

The space with the white box also exists as part of the artwork. Moss is cultivated throughout this space, and the mist emanating from the box flows into it, providing nourishment to the moss. In essence, the external space is where creation occurs through dissolution. The white cube symbolizes relationships among living beings and the external space represents the natural world encompassing these relationships.