research
Predatory Waters: Havana Harbor, Environmental Dread, and the Transatlantic Slave Trade in Watson and the Shark
In 1749, a fourteen-year-old sailor named Brook Watson was attacked by a shark while swimming in Havana Harbor. Decades later, American painter John Singleton Copley memorialized the event in his famous painting Watson and the Shark (1778). While some scholars describe the painting as a story of survival or divine rescue, others argue that it carries deeper political meanings connected to its Cuban setting.
This paper examines the portrayal of the shark through three connected themes: marine biology, environmental dread, and the transatlantic slave trade. First, it explores how Copley combines fantastical anatomical features with realistic predator behavior to transform the shark into a terrifying symbol of the unknown. Second, it examines how the dark, murky waters of Havana Harbor reflect Western anxieties about the dangers of unfamiliar territories. Finally, the research considers how the shark serves as a visual metaphor for the violent realities of the transatlantic slave trade, connecting its predatory violence to the systemic cruelty and moral corruption of the colonial world.
Ultimately, the paper argues that Watson and the Shark is far more than a simple illustration of a maritime accident. The painting reflects the deepest fears, geographic anxieties, and moral conflicts of the colonial world.
The Korean Table: Materials, People, and Space
A table can seem like an ordinary, everyday object. However, it is much more than just a flat surface that holds food. Its materials, arrangement, and design can reveal important information about the people who use it. Drawing on the National Museum of Korea’s 2026 exhibition, Our Table: Food, Nature, and Life, this paper explores the historical contexts and meanings of Korean table design and how they can inform contemporary art.
The research examines three connected themes: material innovation, social hierarchy, and regional identity. Archaeological objects reveal how agricultural practices and technological innovations shaped Korean tables, while royal utensils and dining protocols demonstrate how tables communicated social status. Regional ingredients, preservation methods, and materials also reflect the relationship between food culture and the natural environment.
Building on this research, the paper proposes three ways to reinterpret the Korean table as a contemporary art object: exploring the tension between individual and communal space, challenging social hierarchies through spatial arrangements, and using regional materials to represent environmental differences. Ultimately, the project demonstrates how table design can make relationships among people, materials, place, and memory visible.
All text, images, graphics, and design layouts on this website are the exclusive intellectual property of the copyright owner and are protected under international copyright laws. No part of this portfolio may be downloaded, reproduced, copied, stored, scraped, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior express written permission. Accessing this website does not transfer any right, title, or interest in the content to the user. Statutory fair use, fair dealing, or similar legal exceptions do not apply to any unauthorized use of these works. Unauthorized use will result in legal action for copyright infringement.
