Haejae Debbie Oh is a South Korean self-taught artist, writer, and office worker. She holds both a B.A. and M.A. from Ewha Womans University. She began her artistic practice in 2014 without formal art training. Her international debut came in 2019 at the Asia Contemporary Art Show in Hong Kong, and since then, she has actively participated in various art events both in South Korea and abroad. Her works have received recognition in numerous international art competitions, including in Hong Kong, Singapore, Italy, and Germany. In 2024, she was named “Artist of the Month” (February) by ArtJobs.com, a UK-based global platform for open calls and job opportunities in the arts and creative industries. Since 2007, she has worked at the Korean National Commission for UNESCO while also pursuing her passion for writing. She has authored four art books, including Art Brut and Outsider Art: That’s How Outsiders Became Artists (2024) and An Artist’s Matchbox: The Writing Collection by Self-taught Artist Haejae Debbie Oh (2025). Additionally, she regularly contributes art critiques and columns. With her extensive international experience and academic background, she seeks to bridge Eastern and Western cultures through art.

‘’My work as a self-taught artist is rooted in Outsider Art. Based on a linear way of thinking, I explore the possibilities of expression and communication without fixing boundaries between genres and media. Lines reveal the intensity of emotion and create movement and rhythm. On the surface, they appear as drawing; in space, they take form as structure. While the modes of expression change, the direction of thinking remains the same. ​With a background in intercultural studies and international experience, I seek to create dialogue between different cultures and societies through art. For me, art is a language that connects different lives and experiences, and through my work, I aim to explore that possibility.’’

Inspired by the Zen story of “Yeomhwa Miso” (拈花微笑), this self-portrait reflects a personal longing for awakening. In the tale, Buddha holds up a flower in silence; only one disciple smiles, understanding the truth beyond words. Echoing this moment of intuitive enlightenment, the work expresses an inner stillness and spiritual connection. The gaze, like the smile, suggests a divine feminine wisdom—quiet yet powerful, radiant yet unspoken.