This looks like a traditional Korean screen painting of orchids, doesn't it? Step closer. Those elegant leaves? They're actually plastic bottles—shampoo, detergent, cosmetics we throw away every day.

Artist Koo Sung-yeon photographed these discarded containers, arranging them to look like the noble orchids our ancestors painted. From far away, it's beautiful and peaceful. Up close, it's our garbage.

But here's the twist—it's still beautiful, even knowing it's plastic waste. The artist asks: What makes something beautiful? Is it the material, or how we see it?

Koo transforms trash into traditional art, making us question everything. In old Korea, orchids symbolized purity and elegance. Today, plastic pollutes our oceans. Yet somehow, this plastic orchid feels pure too.

This work sits perfectly between comfort and discomfort. We want to enjoy the beauty, but can't ignore what it's made from. It's like finding out your favorite song was written by someone you dislike—complicated feelings.

The genius is in the revelation. First, we're charmed. Then, we're challenged. The artist shows us that beauty and pollution aren't opposites—they're neighbors in our modern world.

What you're seeing—is it really nature? Or is this the most honest nature we have left?