JACKPOT Series
JACKPOT_First Edition, Mixed Media, 11 x 14 inches, 2020
People buy scratch-off because they expect good fortune. Before people scratch it, they never know what their fortune is. The interesting point is that the result of scratch-off is predetermined no matter what people expect as their fortune. The result of the scratch-off “JACKPOT” will disappoint those who expect good fortune. Even, they get an uncomfortable truth that has not been changed a lot over the last century. This artwork comes in 4 packages: 3 scratch-offs, 1 quarter to scratch. Among various truths, selected three scratch-offs are randomly chosen and truths beyond covering silver paint are revealed. No one knows the concealed truths including an artist.
Untitled, Mixed Media, 24 x 36 inches, 2020
This artwork shows the truth that people don’t know the thing behind the thin silver color. People buy scratch-off because they expect good fortune. Before they scratch it, the scratch-off value is unknown. The scratch-off has a historical truth whether it is scratched off or not. When people scratch off their scratch-off, the scratch-off instantly loses its function. (or Whatever the truth behind it, it loses its function as "scratch-off".). But scratching off is contradictorily the only way to obtain the truth, justification for existence of scratch-off. While a silver opaque covering in this artwork hides the unpleasant truth, a silver opaque covering in the usual scratch-off card hides the pleasant fortune.
JACKPOT_Black Lives Matter, Mixed Media, 5.3 x 2.8 in, 2020
As a JACKPOT series, this scratch-off covers another social issue, ‘Black Lives Matter.’ The two New York Times articles were written one hundred years ago and demonstrated the social issues at that time about African Americans from a white perspective. The issue ‘Black Lives Matter’ has been changed in some aspects while the issue is still an ongoing issue. The artist hopes the issue will be resolved in a proper way. The purpose of this artwork is to throw questions to reveal the truth so that people could recognize the existence of the social issue rather than sweep it under the rug. To make our society move on, the artist prescribes the red pill to the audience, facing uncomfortable truths via art. This scratch-off’s result disappoints the audience who expected good fortune. But, they can get a chance to realize an uncomfortable truth in our society.
JACKPOT_Spanish Flu, Mixed Media, 5.3 x 2.8 in, 2020
As a JACKPOT series, this scratch-off has information about the Spanish Flu. The Spanish Flu (1918 influenza) caused the most severe worldwide pandemic in history during 1918-1919. The article (of this scratch-off) was written by The Times Dispatch, a weekly newspaper on Thursday, Feb 13, 1919. And the news was titled ‘Spanish “FLU” more deadly than entire American War loss.’ The article is chosen to say what has been changed and what has not been changed until now. COVID-19 in 2019 has taken lives more than the Spanish flu does. While the time gap between the two tragic events is a century, developed medical technology cannot stop repeated those kinds of severe pandemics. The JACKPOT might mean you have a fortune because you survive from the catastrophic disease and you witness one of dramatic life-changing moments.