“Presence” Yerin Nam, 2023

Bodily autonomy includes the right to seek refuge and asylum from conditions that are physically, economically, or otherwise insecure or unsafe. When these rights are intruded upon, one may feel at a constant state of fear or instability, being at an edge even in place of stability. This artwork explores the idea of bodily autonomy—specifically the right to take refugee in a safe space—through a sense of paranoia intruding upon a safe space of peace and harmony.

Yerin Nam is a junior student attending the Korean International School in Seongnam, South Korea. Her art-making practices include experimenting with diverse materials to communicate personal narratives to viewers. After winning two Gold Key awards in 2020 and one Gold Key in 2021 in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, she has broadened her artistic capabilities by exploring various mediums such as painting, drawing, sculpting, and digital art. She wishes to continue pursuing her interests in visual arts in the future as she investigates and expresses various social and personal issues through this creative outlet.