Rahee Yoon’s translucent acrylic blocks, infused with gradations of color, employ an iterative process, a traditional Korean lacquering technique called ottchil, in which a refined brown tree sap creates a natural gloss finish after the application of many coats. “Ottchil uses a unique expression called blooming, in which the lacquer becomes clearer and deeper as time passes. As the material I am exploring is transparent, it is interesting to see the traces of the paint transmit light. At times, it feels like I am facing the ancient brown—which has been used for 2000 years—and transcending time,” she says. The procedure, in its negotiation of qualities like hard and soft, dark and light, embodies the same kind of contradictions that define Korea itself, she notes. Photos: Jang Soo In #RaheeYoon