Broken Yet Complete

Broken Yet Complete is a suspended glass installation that speaks to the layered experiences of being a Korean American first-generation student where memory, cultural identity, and resilience converge. Rooted in the imagery of the bapsang (밥상), the traditional Korean family dining table, this piece honors the quiet strength and traditions of shared meals, a symbol of togetherness that often grounded me amidst the push and pull of two worlds.

Originally conceived as a full stained-glass bapsang, the final form became something more honest: fragmented yet complete. Each individually cut and suspended glass piece hovers at different heights, representing moments of disconnection, adaptation, and growth. At the heart of the work are three softly colored mugunghwa (무궁화), Korea’s national flower, embodying perseverance and national pride. These flowers center the piece, surrounded by darker, irregular shards that contrast sharply, echoing the tension and harmony between Korean tradition and American upbringing, between familial expectations and personal identity.

During installation, an unexpected detail emerged: the gentle, intermittent sound of the glass pieces touching, it was subtle yet profound, like the clinking of dishes during family meals. This serendipitous soundscape evokes the warmth of those gatherings, even in their absence, transforming memory into a sensory experience.

As a Korean American and a first-generation student, I carry the stories of sacrifice, language barriers, and quiet endurance passed down by my family. The bapsang is not only a space of nourishment but also a place of unspoken communication where love is shown through food rather than words. Through this piece, I hope to honor that language of care while acknowledging the beauty in imperfection, transition, and becoming.

My desire for the future is to keep building spaces both artistic and communal, where fragmented identities are not hidden, but held together in light and transparency, much like the suspended glass itself