Mom cried
"Umma, Umma, Umma" again and again.
January 2011
"Umma", Korean for "Mom," is a series of photographs witnessing a dramatic family event, my grandmother's passing. Grandma had had a stroke. She was in a coma for three weeks, and at the end of the third week, she died. She is my mother's mother, and during the funeral, its anticipation, preparation and aftermath, I was particularly aware of my mother's grief and the circle of life.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,800,533,400,533/0-0-0/819678a3-c13e-4862-97d1-965924eea53a/1/1/1.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=948280430d87d84de83491c00aa9c807f2b73eb046daa8bc8990bebf9f96ceaa)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,800,533,400,533/0-0-0/a175fcec-f983-4f56-9acd-1675ae4ce074/1/1/2.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=948280430d87d84de83491c00aa9c807f2b73eb046daa8bc8990bebf9f96ceaa)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,6099,1451,400,1451/0-0-0/f3769f17-72ee-4161-bf4f-6376abd1856f/1/1/IMG_2453.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=e0ed7ccab83f85e92af169be4d659ad1307267387311b9b26f812269f6991764)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,6401,1382,400,1382/0-0-0/c1dc7335-0e11-4518-9243-db4033fce855/1/1/IMG_2454.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=c9f879d858629cbb73f2d4bfacbbe850ee1094a3e050a47f655f734a4ad2f767)
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,5582,1585,400,1585/0-0-0/d46bc05a-be4d-412a-bec0-1fadda57461e/1/1/IMG_2455.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=21d83da73c3131b71572e2c1278cac09620303fe91b77d53be4f196e9766a000)
엄마의 엄마가 돌아가셨다. 3주간 의식을 잃고 삶과 죽음 사이에 계시는 동안 나는 엄마와 매일 간병을 했다. 엄마를 잃어가는 엄마의 주변, 그리고 장례와 그 이후의 몇 날을 카메라 뒤에서 담았고, 떠나보내는 마음과 과정을 나의 목소리로 엮었다. 춥고 긴 겨울이었다. 할머니 보내고 오는 길, 눈 위로 맑은 햇빛이 비쳐 눈을 감았다. 볼이 따스해지는 걸 느낄 수 있었다.
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/a2409068-fc98-4a0b-92a0-6f8e6ad3dabf/1/1/01_5260.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
Before Hospital
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
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Her Mirror
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/e5bc2858-ec41-46b1-bfe7-54cd5372e28c/1/1/03_23.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
Cup
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1200,400,1200/0-0-0/1d27989d-1d5b-4d06-a74a-4cb3f622bff9/1/1/04_.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=c25b070a213ace97140a1c397a8bdbf97ed296838f9672e70adc6f79e81a9a32)
Waiting Room
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x21 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1200,400,1200/0-0-0/e79aba63-cb0d-4f04-a267-088846c0e219/1/1/05_2.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=c25b070a213ace97140a1c397a8bdbf97ed296838f9672e70adc6f79e81a9a32)
Before Coffin
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x21 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/865ac73a-7913-4bbe-ad0e-f3e05c45c7ac/1/1/06_5407.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
Funeral I
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/c10d170d-3cb5-4201-8469-f9c90c354e21/1/1/08_5426.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
March
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/e5b1fb5d-e1e6-4344-93d5-780e6336e4a7/1/1/09_5434.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
Grandma
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/6dcd5c59-4491-4b5b-aa0a-fb8f46016bb5/1/1/10_5479.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
Daughter and Mom
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/c8dd2c9d-f759-4f76-9fb4-c556e739baa8/1/1/12_.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
Graves
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/985b572b-e12c-4475-81b0-6d65739f7f14/1/1/13_.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
After
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/622062ee-968e-4f68-ae88-9913fb9b2c4e/1/1/14_.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540804~hmac=52e74a871e30584deb2385b9f2ec41fe91b9f323e825d52d96eb50c070b7f5d3)
Sungmyo
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011
![](https://format.creatorcdn.com/2eca66fa-26a0-4ff3-bd46-3e76612e865d/0/0/0/0,0,1600,1067,400,1067/0-0-0/30a0d3bb-dba9-48e0-803e-1b93985a6ae0/1/1/15_2017.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040540805~hmac=9e4489013a57a689c8b8088aaf96ee7e0aa68396e9e90698eca9115fd90c4624)
Gone
Archival Pigment Print on Cotton Rag, 16x24 inch, Edition of 5, 2011