Jeju Island Fish Market

Description

c. 2025 
Gouache on watercolor paper
5.5″ x 7.5″ (canvas)
8″ x 10″ (frame)
Original work signed by the artist. No prints available.

In this work, Eunice Lee explores the intersection of cultural heritage and the ephemeral atmosphere of Jeju City’s historic trade center. Utilizing a palette of iridescent blues and shimmering silvers, Lee captures the rhythmic vitality of the Galchi (Jeju Hairtail Fish), alongside the prized Red Tilefish (Okdom). The artist’s application of color transforms these local specialties into a study of light and surface.

Grounding the composition is a calligraphic inclusion of Jejueo, the distinct and endangered dialect of the region. The phrase Gomapsuda—a local expression of gratitude—serves as both a linguistic anchor and a testament to the enduring communal spirit of the market, which has remained a site of resilience since its founding in 1945. Produced in her South Pasadena studio from her own photographic archives, this painting continues Lee’s career-long investigation into the translation of memory and place.

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