Lee Sungkyung

Lee Sungkyung seeks to articulate the ambiguous boundaries that exist within her theme of "shadowy landscapes." The artist questions the dichotomy between light and shadow, and the perspective that equates light solely with hope. Instead, she sees potential and the possibility for renewal in the twilight moments when objects themselves take on the appearance of shadows.
Rather than focusing only on literal shadows, Lee observes moments of disappearance and reappearance as elements of shadows. She perceives a world akin to a phantasmagoria, which emerges as the culmination of infinite boundaries between order and chaos, mirroring the reflections on glass towers. By examining the fine mesh of a mosquito net, she hopes to observe things in intricate detail that are not easily visible. The artist is also expanding the domain of her "shadowy landscapes” by expressing the concept of "marginalization" that was triggered in her mind by the notion of "shadow" as transplanted landscapes and by portraying things that look obscure on the street.
Lee considers "seeing" as perceiving with a certain portion of light hidden, since we cannot see all light; she interprets this as the creation of shadows by the eye. In her works, she incorporates an "astigmatic perspective," achieved by subtly shifting the lines while painting, aiming to create a state of blurred boundaries where nothing is definitively delineated. Lee also explores tactile expressions, employing the traces left on hanji (Korean paper) after a drawing is erased. She uses shadows to express nebulous boundaries and lights to represent shadows. In doing this, the artist hopes her shadows can transform into "shade," a term implying relief and protection from harsh light and scorching sun, while still encapsulating darker aspects.

Submitted by KAMS - Korean Arts Management Service