Juliana Nozomi and Jaiyun Lee explore psychological pressures in exhibition SUBSIDE

Juliana Nozomi and Jaiyun Lee present works in an exhibition that examines contemporary psychological burdens through painting and film. Their art addresses mental health, societal alienation, and individual struggles within systems promoting conformity and isolation. Nozomi's paintings employ macabre expressions and dark humor to reveal internalized anxieties about productivity and performance. Lee's films, including Blood Moon and Solo, depict characters experiencing existential cycles like self-hatred and emotional detachment through surreal narratives. Both artists use irony and absurdity to confront reality directly, with Nozomi's humor breaking through horror-laced compositions and Lee's framing exposing tragic absurdities in competitive environments like South Korea. Their shared critique focuses on how systemic speed, competition, and alienation marginalize and pathologize human emotion. The artists explore conflicts between internal desires and external expectations, portraying characters who are emotionally muted or disoriented by overwhelming forces. Nozomi's figures appear trapped between breaking out and conforming, while Lee's characters wrestle with love, connection, and identity amid societal fragmentation. Their works question whether escape from these cycles is possible or if recognizing absurdity might lead to more meaningful existence. The exhibition appears on NEWEAST, an art platform featuring contemporary artists.