In the magical order of the natural world, flowers have developed numerous traits to attract insects and guarantee their propagation. One such method involves the presence of hidden ultraviolet markings on the petals, which guide insects directly to their nectar. It’s a symbiotic exchange of life: nectar for the bee, pollination for the flower.

These patterns are invisible to the human eye which contains protective lens to filter out UV wavelengths. However, to bees, butterflies, and a number of other insects, these flowers reveal beautiful inner characteristics.

While it is widely believed that humans cannot see ultraviolet light, there is speculation that the painter Claude Monet was able to perceive colours beyond the violet (ultraviolet) spectrum after undergoing an operation to remove his cataracts in the early 20th century. Evidence suggests a notable shift in the colour palette of his works during this era, leaning towards blues and purples. Art historians and speculators propose that these post-surgery paintings reflect his attempt to express his newfound sight, likely containing colours most humans cannot see. It’s an intriguing concept that highlights both the hidden beauties around us and the inherent subjectivity of colour perception. How was Monet to know if the colours he could see were any different from those perceived by others?

This body of work celebrates flowers and the fleeting, ineffable joy they bring. Gathered in their prime from my garden and the surrounding areas in the North of Sydney (Geranium, Pansy, Nasturtium, Marigold, Azalea), the blooms are air-dried and book-pressed for several weeks—a traditional method of preserving their peak beyond natural decay. Once dried, they are photographed with a specialized camera under ultraviolet light, unveiling X-ray-like luminosities through a fusion of ultraviolet (320–380nm), ultraviolet-induced visible fluorescence (UVIVF), and visible light.

The resulting images become the foundation for painterly compositions, assembled, layered, and embellished with inks and brushwork to suggest open fields and dreamlike landscapes.

Photoseries

This series presents a collection of flowers (Geranium, Pansy, Nasturtium, Marigold, Azalea) gathered from my garden and surrounding areas in the North of Sydney.

They underwent a process of air drying and book pressing for 2-4 weeks. This traditional method of preserving flowers beyond their natural existence, also creates an interesting abstraction by compressing their spatial volume from 3D to 2D.

Once dried and pressed, the flowers were photographed using a specialised camera and ultraviolet light. The resulting images unveil a hidden X-ray-like beauty, showcasing a unique combination of ultraviolet (320-380nm), ultraviolet-induced visible fluorescence (UVIVF), and visible light.

A fusion of floral preservation and photographic exploration, aiming to reveal hidden and unexpected beauty.

Seoul - October 2025

Video works

Through 2D animation, these compositions are brought to life as a living flux of blooming and dissolving forms, a hypnotic cycle of emergence and disappearance. What began as fragile pressed flowers becomes a meditative encounter with beauty in perpetual motion.