Daieny Chin
Daieny Chin is a multifaceted artist whose works traverse various dimensions of the Korean diaspora. Her profound exploration of themes such as Korean culture, shamanism, mythology, intergenerational trauma, and the representation of matriarchs within her family delves deep into the emotional terrain of her subjects.
Her paintings compellingly explore power dynamics and resilience, capturing the intricacies of her subjects' experiences. Through the lens of shamanism and Korean mythology, Chin adeptly weaves together the threads of myth, spirituality, and reality. This unique approach allows her to create fantastical narratives that reflect personal experiences and shed light on the collective journey of the Korean diaspora.
Chin's work illuminates the complexities of identity and heritage, inviting viewers to contemplate the layers of meaning embedded within her art. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of her cultural roots, Daieny Chin continues to captivate audiences with her thought-provoking and visually stunning creations.
Collect Bean: What does growth mean to you?
Daieny Chin: Growth means being accountable, receptive, and always learning. Personally for me, if I’m not practicing all three, then I become stagnant and closed off, and I think it’s always important to be open to all possibilities, views, and to be fluid in your mindset.
Collect Bean: Where are you currently finding inspiration?
Daieny Chin: I get a lot of inspiration from my family history, my mother and grandmother, mythology, films, and my upbringing. I come from a very closed-off family, where no one talks about the past or our feelings, and I was honestly the first person in my family to seek therapy and recognize cycles of our generational and historical trauma. Every couple of years, my mom discloses bits of our family’s secrets to me, and I have to research history to piece together why it happened and why our family decided to react in this specific way. Because of this, it helps to create these fantastical narratives in my paintings. I’m also inspired by fantasy, particularly J.R.R. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings.
Collect Bean: Do you have a saying that you live by?
Daieny Chin: It’s cheesy, but I always think to myself, “Everything happens for a reason.” Especially when something bad happens or something doesn’t go my way, it helps with the healing process and moving on. I think everything has a learning lesson, or the universe likely wanted to protect me from going a certain path, or it knew I wasn’t ready for this specific thing to come my way. It helps me pivot for something different, and adapt to the changes.
Collect Bean: How do you think your work has evolved?
Daieny Chin: My work over the past eight years has changed so much. I used to make many self-portraits that were immersed with a wide array of pop-culture references. Maybe 2-3 years ago, I started on a whole series involving my aunt and mother, where they were in this limbo dream state between life and death and had a Korean mythology creature called a Hae-tea along with them that served as a guardian or protector. Recently, I’ve been drawing more from my personal life and my feelings growing up in Los Angeles. The one thing that remains consistent is animals. I usually have some form of an animal or a reference to mythological animals in my paintings.
