California-based Korean-American painter Kathy Park explores the fundamental struggles of humankind through a surreal, symbol-rich aesthetic. Transcending literal depiction, her work blurs the line between wake and dreams, mining images and hallucinations from the deepest subconscious. Symbolism is a powerful expedient in Park’s oeuvre, such as the goat found in the Settling In series. In reference to the Old Testament’s scapegoat, the animal stands as a metaphor for humankind’s struggle in finding their own identity. Carrying the sins of humanity, it roams in the wilderness or hides in abandoned places on a journey toward understanding and expiation. Through personal psychic investigations the artist sparks universal recognition, illustrating the unifying predicament of all beings. In so doing, she inspires belongingness and hope in resolving our inherent existential dilemma.
Park received a BFA from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Philadelphia. She exhibited widely in the United States and designed illustrations for various publications. She lives and works in Corona, California.