Presence and Absence
Hyein Brooklyn Na
This project begins with an attempt to understand existence not only through presence, but through absence. It centers on the idea that invisible elements—such as thoughts, memories, and internal processes—define who I am more than any physical form. The work is composed of two books that explore this relationship from different perspectives.
Presence is a record of the thoughts that construct me. These thoughts are constantly generated and repeated, and although invisible, they shape my identity and affirm my existence. Each page functions as a unit of thought, where writing and drawing expand, repeat, and sometimes collapse. This progression forms a rhythm shaped by time and accumulation, as simple ideas gradually become complex and eventually turn inward toward self-awareness.
In contrast, Absence is a collection of short narratives about what has disappeared. Beginning with small, everyday losses and extending to more profound emotional absences, the work explores how absence makes presence more visible. When something disappears, its absence intensifies our awareness of its existence. What is no longer there becomes, paradoxically, more present.
Ultimately, this project examines how invisible thoughts and lost things shape my identity and serve as proof of existence, revealing a state in which presence and absence coexist.