Members of SK Innovation affiliates are carrying out eco-friendly activities in various ways. Among them, there is a father and daughter who continuously show affection for environment. This is the story of Nam Bong-woo, a member of Utilities Unit 1, SK Energy, and his daughter Nam Hye-in, a stationery/illustration artist. Nam Hye-in recently opened an exhibition , which is made up of marine debris. Let’s meet this father and daughter who gave us a message about environment by linking the garbage problem and future food problem through depicting the day when garbage comes up to the table.

 
Q1. I heard that you created an amazing artwork with marine litter.
 

Nam Hye-in: I did plogging twice with Ulsan citizens in September and October last year. During the process of washing and sorting the waste we picked up, I thought the appearance and combination of the waste are similar to real food. Due to climate crisis, food shortage problem is getting more severe, while the waste on the Earth is increasing day by day. So, I imagined that on the last days of the Earth, human race would have nothing but waste without any food left and the only thing on our table would be waste. This idea became a trigger of my work.

▲ Screenshot of video introducing Nam Hye-in’s exhibition

 
Q2. How did you feel when you saw the artwork that your daughter, Artist Nam Hye-in made for the first time?
 

Nam Bong-woo: When I first saw the artwork from exhibition with my colleagues, I was deeply moved by it. Looking at the amazing artwork, I recalled my daughter bringing waste home and washing and sorting it every day. And I could see all her efforts paying off. I think the idea is original and novel. And my colleagues also praised her creativity a lot. Looking at my daughter’s work, the severity of environmental pollution finally started to sink in and I made up my mind to do something for the environment in my everyday life.

Nam Hye-in: Whenever our family take a stroll together at the hill behind our village, we naturally pick up garbage on the trail as much as we can. I believe these natural experience I have had in my daily life paved way for my creative activities.

▲ Member of SK Energy Utilities Unit 1 Nam Bong-woo and his colleagues are watching exhibition

 
Q3. What do you want to tell ‘your daughter’ Nam Hye-in as her father?
 

Nam Bong-woo: As she creates artworks on her own, I see her struggling with the work and being in charge of everything all by herself. So, I feel so sorry for her many times. But since she’s doing what she likes, I’m very proud of her.

▲ Nam Hye-in’s exhibition artworks produced by recycling marine litter

 
Q4. What do you want to tell your father as ‘his daughter’ Nam Hye-in?
 

Nam Hye-in: Whenever I brought garbage home and then washed and hung it out to dry it, my father just watched me doing all the things silently. And that was quite reassuring because I could feel that he was supporting me and we became more intimate with each other. I wish I could make him proud of me by continuing to create meaningful works!

▲ (Left) Nam Hye-in is holding garbage collected through plogging / (Right) Nam Hye-in is washing and dividing garbage collected through plogging

 
Q5. When do you plan to unveil your next project?
 

Nam Hye-in: I had much more visitors than I expected and I heard a lot that they wanted to see my work once again. I’m planning to hold an encore exhibition within this year. I hope that I will be able to meet more members of SK innovation affiliates. Please pay much attention to my work!

Click the video below to check the full talk with Nam Bong-woo and Nam Hye-in