Sun and Moon

Description

This composition follows the traditional Korean Sun, Moon, and Five Peaks screens (irworobongdo) that stood behind the king’s throne during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). The throne and screen symbolized the ruler’s position at the center of the universe. Her Suyoung reinterprets the royal theme in the manner of Chinese ink painting, eschewing the bright polychrome originally found in the screens at court. This reinterpretation raises questions about the rhetoric of kingship, cultural interaction, and identity issues. In a palace setting, the ruler seated on the throne occupies the cosmological landscape in the screen. In the monochromatic reinterpretation not only are the colors gone but the monarchy is also no longer present.