Still Present Pasts

Aesop Rhim

Silkscreened Print

"As an artist, I believe that art is relevant to life, as life is to art. As creative and proactive people, our goal is to use our works and our lives as connections to the people and objects around us. It is our job to find these connections and express them in a relevant way. In my works, I am striving to create a model of peace --- to create a small world in which each element is gracefully integrated with the others to form a subtly complex image of harmony. Working with this concept, I have come to see the process of peace as a continuous work of art.

"I grew up in Korea but during the Korean War (1950-53), I was separated from my family and came to South Korea and later immigrated to the United States. Today, my brothers and a sister, along with their families, are still living in North Korea. It has been over 50 years that we have been separated. But we are still facing threats of war, as the situation between North and South Korea remains volatile. It is not just from my personal agony that I pray for peace. Today, peace is the most urgent task in Korea as well as in the world. The dictionary defines peace as freedom from war and a harmony with reconciliation. Fortunately, as an artist, I can use my art as an instrument to work towards peace."

Aesop Rhim’s Rendezvous exemplifies this belief. It is a silent appeal towards reunification.