Fortune (70 Butterflies) presents a captivating constellation of seventy hand-embroidered butterflies, each rendered with exquisite precision and radiant color against a soft sky-blue ground. In this circular composition, Bok-hee Kwak draws on traditional Korean needlework to breathe life into these unique winged forms—symbols of transformation, beauty, and auspicious fortune. The number seventy itself holds special meaning in Korean culture, signifying longevity and blessings, infusing the work with an added layer of celebration and hope. Meticulously layered silk threads evoke the iridescent shimmer and delicate motion of each butterfly, creating a tableau that feels at once timeless and alive. Balancing heritage techniques with a contemporary sensibility, Kwak transforms embroidery into a painterly field of movement and light, inviting viewers into a realm where craft becomes poetry.

b. 1951

Bok-hee Kwak is a Korean embroidery artist and the designated apprentice of  Yoo-hyun Choi, holder of National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 80 (Korean Embroidery). As director of the Traditional Embroidery Culture Center since 2017, she has been committed to preserving and advancing the heritage of Korean embroidery through teaching, creation, and cultural exchange. Her works, distinguished by meticulous craftsmanship and refined reinterpretations of traditional motifs, have been showcased in major exhibitions and commissions, including projects for the Sulwhasoo flagship store and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Sweden. Exhibiting both in Korea and internationally, Kwak has received numerous awards recognizing her artistry, ensuring that the delicate beauty and cultural depth of Korean embroidery continue to resonate in contemporary contexts.

Plum Blossoms on a Ten-panel Embroidered Screen at Sulhwasu Spa, Myungdong Lotte Hotel, 2018