J A N A S I M

"Layered Time" is a visual representation

of the intertwined memories from my childhood

with the Korean traditional doors and windows.

Inspired by the grapevine lattice,

a symbolic pattern from the Injeongjeon Hall

at Changdeokgung Palace in Korea,

this piece came to life from the feeling that the layers

built to create the doors resemble the way

my memories build up over time.

Just as these layers come together to form a single door,

Korean traditional latticework, for me, holds my life’s

memories and experiences that continue into who I am today.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by

traditional doors and windows because of my father

recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage

in Korean traditional woodworking.

His workshop would always be busy, with latticework

pieces ready to be sent to their destinations.

My memories of latticework aren’t of the completed

doors or windows you might see in palaces or temples

but rather the unfinished, assembled fragments

in the process of becoming whole.

Therefore, in my memories, my father’s works

were usually in an unfinished state,

waiting to fit together, rather than

in their fully assembled form.

This particular grapevine lattice pattern

expressed in this book is from the door my father

restored during my childhood.

Revisiting the palace with him recently as an adult

and hearing his stories about the restoration made me

feel the weight of his dedication and craftsmanship,

seeing him not just as my father

but as a passionate cultural heritage artisan.

Now, as an adult and being a parent myself,

I somewhat understand the responsibility

to pass down what he carries.

Each page in this work represents the lattice

before it’s fully assembled, captured in the layers.

As an artist, the lattice symbolizes a personal connection for me

—it’s where my memories and experiences

intersect with my past and present, building a part of who I am.

The photograph inside the box was taken

on the day I visited Changdeokgung Palace with my father

to see the actual grapevine lattice door he restored.