EUN HEE CHOI

Each plant uniquely lives through its own seasons, influenced by the environment in which its roots are grounded and a multitude of other factors. Because of this, nature has no manual. Even evergreen trees like the spindle tree shine in one season and slowly shed their leaves to endure another. There are no plants that are forever green or that bloom all year round. Fallen leaves and fragments of fruit return to the earth, enriching the soil and preparing it to sprout new life. This is the natural cycle—where what once withers becomes the energy of life once more.

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From this perspective, I began to see the roots of plants as sources of life energy. If the growth of a plant mirrors a human life, then the achievements and results we create are akin to blooming flowers and unfurling leaves. Conversely, the seasons in which we let go—times of self-doubt, discouragement, or the longing for recognition—echo the falling of dry leaves.

 

With this understanding of nature as a cycle of roots and life, I collected and archived images of plants, giving them new forms. I gathered flowers that carry contrasting meanings and captured the movement of leaves found in the fields, likening them to the fleeting and recurring moments of life. Under this archive, I envisioned roots imbued with my thoughts and translated them onto linen.

Through this work, I invite each viewer to witness the vibrant life of plants, to recognize the seasons in their own lives when they, too, have let go, and to imagine the moment when their own root energy may once again rise and blossom.