Carapace of life
2025
Wax, poplar, light, 42 x 21 inch

On rainy days, I always notice the snails and wonder where they are headed. Wherever a snail passes, it leaves a trace behind. Its slow yet persistent movement for survival is revealed through the slimy path it leaves.

To me, these traces feel like the fingerprints of life. At the same time, I sense a resemblance between snails and human beings. The outward human form represents the social, external appearance people show to the world, carrying their shell (life) on their backs as they move forward to survive. Inside the shell lies a fetal form, symbolizing our pure, inner self.

Through many experiences, the hardened outer self continues its struggle for survival while protecting the fragile, innocent self within. Although the inner self may appear passive compared to the external self, in truth, the shell of life takes shape from the inner being, and even the outer form originates there.

The slow but persistent movement for survival embodies life itself, visualized through the layered spiral of the snail’s shell. Through this, we glimpse the temporality and existence of life, recorded layer by layer.