The Mother Who Never Smiled
Reproduction
Download media
Object number5975
TitleThe Mother Who Never Smiled
CreatorJennifer Lugris
Descriptionoil and acrylic on canvas
Date2021
Subjectfigurative
Material150-mixed media painting
Current locationMS
Dimensions
overall: 48.5 x 40.25
Acquired fromWailoa Center, University of Hawaii at Hilo, "The Paths We Cross: Perspectives from the Korean Diaspora," juried exhibition (May 3, 2024 - June 20, 2024)
Credit lineState Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Art in Public Places Collection
Accompanying textJennifer Lugris received an MFA from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a Professor of Art at Sierra College in Rocklin, California. In much of her artwork she paints everyday scenes that reflect her family heritage and history with bold, overlapping blocks of color. She states, “The Mother Who Never Smiled tells the story of my North Korean grandmother. During the war she walked south in secret, nearly dying of starvation. She passed away from breast cancer a few months before I was born. While painting this portrait, I took time to interview family members to learn more about her. Sadly, I found out that she never spoke about her journey or her past. I painted my grandmother against the backdrop of a somewhat obscured North Korean flag in reference to her history. I painted blocks of light skin symbolic of assimilating to Argentina and later the USA. These blocks reference the difficulty in being seen as truly ‘American’ because of the way she looked and her accent.”