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Hanji pictures

Here are some of the pictures I created for the Hanji Exhibition. They've been well received and I wanted to share with you all some of the thoughts behind the designs. I've put my own interpretations into the pictures combining Joseon Dynasty paintings, a selection of Hanji papers and cutouts of symbolic animals and patterns.

INSPIRATION - To show different elements of the lives of the traditional Korean people. 


 

Strength & Harmony - 
mustard & brown

This earthy toned collage of Hanji patchwork includes a  Min Hwa (Korean Folklore) painting of a woman sewing which is representative of domestic harmony. The black geometrical cutout represents times when everything goes smoothly and is in harmony with itself whereas the tiger symbolises those times when life is tough  and people need amazing strength to get through.



Work & Constancy
 - blue

In this blue Hanji patchwork  I wanted to show the commitment to hard work by the Korean people intertwined with their connection to nature. In Korean folklore the carp is a symbol of a self-made man, so I’ve used this design to represent both the old traditions and to show the importance of fishing as a livelihood for many  Koreans today. 
The addition of the bees and a flower in the top left hand corner represents the constant busyness in nature.



Relaxation & Joy - 
red

This red Hanji patchwork collage includes a Min Hwa (Korean folklore) drawing of people bathing. This was done at the end of a long day of hard physical labour in the fields. The cat, in Korean folklore, was believed to protect the silkworms and chase away evil spirits whilst the butterfly represents joy and conjugal love.




Nature & Light
 - green

In this green Hanji patchwork picture I wanted to give a feeling of light and warmth as represented by the lanterns, and that light shines on the plants to allow them to grow tall enough to be harvested. I’ve used some Hanji papers infused with plants and a variety of different textures to enhance the visualization of nature.

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