Kim Dayeon

STRONG RABBIT, 2022

Material: Nylon, Suede
Technique: UV Printing, Embroidery
Size (WxDxH): (Bag): 41 x 36 x 24 cm / 16 x 14 x 9.5 inch, (Helmet): 26 x 23 x 15 cm / 10 x 9 x 6 inch, (Guard 1): 15 x 20.5 cm / 6 x 8 inch (x 2pieces), (Guard 2): 13 x 18 cm / 5 x 7 inch (x 2pieces), (Guard 3): 8 x 15 cm / 3 x 6 inch (x 2pieces), (Towel): 20 x 100 cm / 8 x 39 inch (x 5pieces)

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The hares that our Korean ancestors were familiar with are jackrabbits, wild mountainous rabbits, that have big bodies and rough coats.

Hare, which appears in the pansori ‘Byeoljubujeon’ as a smart character that overcomes certain death through wit as well as in the tale of ‘The Rabbit and the Tiger’ where it puts the predator tiger through trouble, even appears to be strong although it is a weak animal. The hares that our Korean ancestors were familiar with are jackrabbits, wild mountainous rabbits, that have big bodies and rough coats. It appears that rabbits are more than the cute little animals that we think of them as. I emphasized such strong image of rabbits, and figuratively described the hare from the folk tales as a boxer wearing a tiger leather jacket, a rider on a motor bike made of a tortoise, and a child on a dragon scooter.

판소리 ‘별주부전’에서처럼 영리하게 죽음의 위기를 넘기고, ‘토끼와 호랑이’ 설화에서처럼 꾀를 내어 포식자인 호랑이에게 골탕을 먹이는 민화 속 토끼는 분명 연약한 동물임에도 강인하게 느껴지기까지 한다. 옛날 우리 선조들이 본 토끼는 ‘멧토끼’로 덩치도 크고 털도 거친 야생 산토끼이다. 우리가 흔하게 생각하던대로 토끼가 귀엽기만 한 존재는 아닌 듯 하다_ 이러한 강한 모습을 강조하여 민화 속 토끼를 호랑이 가죽을 입은 복서, 자라 오토바이를 타고 다니는 라이더, 용 스쿠터를 탄 아이 등으로 비유적으로 표현했다.

像板索里《鳖主簿传》中聪明地化解死亡危机，像《兔子和老虎》的传说中用智谋让捕食的老虎吃了亏的民间故事中的兔子，分明是软弱的动物，但给人的感觉却很强大。古时候，我们的祖先看到的兔子“野兔”，是块头大，毛色糙的野生山兔。与我们的想象不同，兔子并不只是可爱的象征。为了突出兔子的强韧形象，民间故事中把兔子比喻成披着虎皮的拳手、骑着乌龟机车的骑手、骑着龙摩特的孩子等等。