MOPA@SDMA Opens Powerful Exhibition Exploring Korean Adoptee Experience

Art meets personal narrative in one of this year’s most compelling exhibitions. “Mirae kh RHEE: Constellations” opens at MOPA@SDMA, presenting a deeply moving exploration of the Korean Adoptee Experience through immersive installation work that traces the artist’s journey through traditional Korean objects, ancient myths, and the search for belonging.

Artist’s Journey Through Cultural Reconnection

Born in Seoul and raised in the United States after adoption, RHEE uses their art to navigate the complex experience of being separated from one’s birth culture.

The exhibition centers on bamboo forms known as jukbuin or “bamboo wife”—hollow pillows used across Asia for centuries that become powerful symbols of connection, displacement, and the longing for cultural roots.

These traditional objects serve as more than artistic materials; they represent RHEE’s attempt to reconnect with the culture into which they were born but not raised, while also speaking to broader histories of commodification, trade, and displacement.

Immersive Installation Creates Space for Reflection

The Schwartz Gallery transforms into a contemplative environment where personal and collective experiences layer together. RHEE’s fusion of performance, sculpture, textile, and installation confronts the legacy of forced migration while working to reclaim erased kinships.

The result is a space that illuminates the strength, beauty, and resilience that emerge from shared experiences of displacement and searching.

Opening Day Workshop With the Artist

RHEE will be present for the exhibition opening, leading a community art workshop focused on image transfer techniques. This pay-what-you-wish event offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with the artist and explore some of the creative processes behind the installation.

Recognition and Future Exhibitions

As a recipient of the 2022 KAFA (Korea Arts Foundation of America) Artist Award and former student of renowned artist Yong Soon Min, RHEE brings significant artistic credentials to this deeply personal work.

The international reach of their practice continues with upcoming exhibitions at Berlin’s Museum für Asiatische Kunst and Humboldt Forum in October 2025.