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When Halmoni Went Home

Category:

✿ Art

Deliverables:

✿ Acrylic Painting
✿ Burning

In February of 2020, my Halmoni (grandmother) in South Korea passed. I created the painting below, Halmoni’s Spirit, in two days after hearing that she had fallen into a coma. A week later, my father flew to Korea with the painting for it to stay with Halmoni until her passing. The following is a documentation of the journey of Halmoni's Spirit, one unplanned but divinely created.

An acrylic painting titled, "Halmoni's Spirit" of a white dove flying into a horizon above the ocean. The dove is seen from behind with its wings spanned out. 12 gold stars line its back and a gold crescent moon is at the end of the dove's tail. In the background above are blue and white fluffy clouds with a gold sun peeking out. Below is a pastel blue ocean with white waves. A photo of a painting perched on top of sheets on a hospital bed. The painting is of a white dove flying into a pastel pink horizon with blue and white clouds above and a pale blue ocean below.

On February 18, 2020, Halmoni passed away.

A photo of my grandmother's altar in Seoul, South Korea. There is a flower altar in the background with a photo of an old Korean woman in her 80s smiling. In front are candles and incense. To the left is a moon jar. Perched atop the jar is an acrylic painting of a white dove flying into a pastel blue sky above a light pastel blue sea.A photo of my grandmother's tomb. In the foreground are bouquets of colorful flowers. Behind them is a cylinder urn. Above the urn on a large rectangular stone is a painting of a dove flying into the horizon and a photo portrait of an old Korean woman in her 80s smiling (halmoni).

After Halmoni's passing, my mom and I decided the painting should stay with my grandfather.

A photo of a painting set on top of something in a bedroom next to other framed photos and objects. The painting is of a white dove flying into a pastel pink horizon with blue and white clouds above and a pale blue ocean below.

On May 7, 2020, my grandfather passed unexpectedly.

A photo of a pale blue cylinder urn behind a window of glass. In the foreground to the bottom right are photo portraits of a Korean man and woman (my grandparents).
In June 2020, the painting was burned.
©Ashley J. Kim 2024. All rights reserved.