Hwalan was found on a road in Korea and adopted by an intellectual hippie couple living in upstate New York. What resides beyond identity, what rests in the center of our being, what unifies us, is a lifelong mission. Hwalan’s work navigates how the sacred is achieved through a transmutation of, rather than in contradiction to, the deeply human. Hwalan’s focus is transforming personal suffering into compassion for others on a global level. The dialogue between seemingly opposing forces, ultimately leading to greater dynamic harmony and wholeness, is at the heart of her work.
Hwalan is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Columbia. She is the recipient of a Hans Hessel Award from the National Arts Club. Art and performance venues include Lincoln Center (Performance), Guggenheim (Writing), BAM (Theater), Mass MoCA (Theater and Video), Chundong Theater, S. Korea (Drumming), The Philadelphia Museum (Art), Armory (Art), Hyundai Gallery, S. Korea (Art), The Blacklist (TV), Horace & Pete (TV), Equal Standard (Film), High5 Games (martial art video games), Camp Joy (Stunt Coordinator).
In Korea, Hwalan studied Tek Kyun and Sun Mu Do at Golgul Temple. In the States, she studied Shaolin Kung Fu and Wu Shu. As a member of the Shaolin Temple Demo Team she performed in ESPN’s Greatest Moments in Sports (TV) and live in the World Cultural Olympics, Wu Tang Revival Concert at the Meadowlands, Ong Bak premiere, Tribeca Film Festival and numerous others.
From the heat and pressure of suffering
may the diamond of compassionate consciousness be born
Illuminated by the golden light
Flickering beyond time and space
Within the heart of each one of us.
copyright Hwalan Shub January 2019