The wife of Korea’s former ambassador to Mexico is sharing her view of the Latin American country with Seoul.

Paek Hee-young, who spent the last three years in Mexico City with her husband Cho Whan-bok during his diplomatic posting, created the paintings on soil canvas to show Mexico through her own eyes.

Her “Tree of Life” exhibition is now open at the Insa Art Center until July 2.

The show is being supported by the Mexican Embassy in Seoul as part of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the country’s diplomatic ties with Korea.

Paek said that she first fell in love with Mexico on a visit there in 1985, and called her recent return after 24 years “a destiny and joy.”

“It was a wonderful three years of encounter with forgotten friends and moments of indulgence of the captivating and splendid cultures of Mexico,” she said.

“I believe that the mixture of Aztec and Mayan influence combined with the Catholic culture have made the culture of Mexico today that is diverse and resplendent.”

The exhibition of paintings on earth canvases has already been shown on a smaller scale in Mexico.

“She has really captured the soul and the people of Mexico,” said Mexican Ambassador Martha Oritz de Rosas. “It’s more important that Korean people project what is Mexico rather than the Mexican Ambassador. It is really wonderful seeing the bright colors of Mexico, the ancient people and cultures shown in Korea.”

By Kirsty Taylor (kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)