American Minhwa: Moonji L. Pickering

American Minhwa, as foreign as it sounds, reflects my life as an immigrant - a sequence
of continuously learning and adapting to a foreign country. Minwha is traditional Korean folk-art done by commoners, which focuses on themes of health, happiness, protection and good luck.

American Minhwa is a combination of Korean folk art and the American influences that have
shaped me. Since moving to America I became a fan of a major league baseball team for thefirst time, watched Star Trek: The Next Generation, fell in love with Christmas and the holidayseason, and discovered Gilbert and Sullivan Opera performed by the Lamplighters (and nevermissed a chance to watch them).

I found Minhwa when I sought my roots as a Korean, to connect with Korean history,
embrace my identity and pass my Korean heritage to my kids. Minhwa literally means ‘paintings of the people’ and the paintings are highly symbolic, reflecting people’s wishes for things like health and prosperity or protecting their family from evil forces.

After living in America for 10 years I realized I had been looking to Korea for connection,
but I am surrounded by common folk with the same wishes for health, happiness, safety and connection. Minhwa is all around us, and we create Minhwa in our actions and through our bonds with each other. As an Americanized Korean, I no longer fear losing my connection to Korea. Instead I am creating Korean-American Folk Art to bridge the divide and draw upon the strength of two vibrant cultures.