Memory Enclaves is a virtual exhibition created in Mozilla Hubs that explores intergenerational memory through personal archives.
My project, titled "Memory Enclaves," involved creating immersive 3D virtual space using childhood photos of my parents from the late 1950s and an heirloom najeon-chilgi (나전칠기) or Jagae(자개) jewelry box.
Using these elements, I constructed a speculative interior of the deconstructed jewelry box—an intimate space to navigate ancestral narratives and emotional inheritance.
As a companion to the virtual space, I also crafted a mask portal—a physical crown inspired by traditional Korean royal headwear, reimagined using shiny Korean snack wrappers.
The nostalgic textures reference childhood memories while creating a playful, tactile bridge to the digital memory enclave.
The project reflects a larger ethos behind the Ancestral Memory Enclaves workshop: the belief that building memory spaces collectively—through images, stories, and shared making—can open new ways of connecting with identity, community, and the past. The process of creating was as meaningful as the final form, transforming digital tools into vessels for care, reflection, and storytelling.
Read more in detail about the workshop here by Jeffery Yoo Warren & Ann Chen.
As part of the same project, I also recreated Korea’s iconic Jagalchi (자갈치) Fish Market in a 3D environment using archival photos. The bustling atmosphere, sound, and visual textures of the market were translated into a layered, virtual space that evokes my connection to cultural heritage and everyday family experiences.