Statement
Emily Jounghee Won’s work emerges from a deeply personal journey shaped by migration, memory, and human connection. Since relocating from South Korea to the United States, she has developed a visual language expressed through copper wire drawings, photography, and mixed media. Since 1995, she has created individually handcrafted wire figures that express a wide range of emotions, relationships, and shared experiences. Each figure carries its own presence before becoming part of a larger composition that reflects the connections between people despite their different backgrounds and life experiences. Through these works, Won invites viewers to recognize themselves or someone they know, creating a space for reflection, empathy, and joy. She believes art should be approachable and meaningful, encouraging people to discover the beauty of human connection through the expressive language of copper wire.
Bio
Emily Jounghee Won is a South Korean artist based in Washington State whose multidisciplinary practice includes copper wire drawings, painting, photography, and mixed media. She holds a B.F.A. in Applied Art and an M.F.A. in Fine Art. In addition to her fine art training, she studied studio art, photography, and graphic design in the United States and has worked as a graphic designer. Since 1995, she has developed her signature copper wire drawings, exploring themes of human connection, emotion, and everyday life through expressive figurative forms. Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in both South Korea and the United States. As an artist, educator, and community arts advocate, she is dedicated to promoting Korean art and culture while creating meaningful connections through art.
