GALLERY2, nestled in the heart of Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea, is gearing up to host a riveting new exhibition titled "Cicada Wings" by renowned artist Sojung Lee, beginning Thursday, May 25th.

Known for her meticulous and unique approach towards hanji (Korean paper) canvas, Lee’s primary focus leans more towards the creation process rather than the final product. Her artwork is an intricate exploration of the physical properties of materials and their interactions, making her work more of a creation than mere painting. 

▲ 나비잠 Sleeping like a butterflly, gouache, ink and beeswax on paper, 116.8x91cm, 2023, Courtesy of Gallery2.

Lee's previous work was guided by a strict, step-by-step instruction manual that she developed, likening the artistic process to assembling modular prefabricated furniture. Amid the rigorous control, she found beauty in deviations, cracks, and anomalies that unintentionally emerged, which became the primary subject of her painting work.

In 2019, Lee began to appreciate the unanticipated, haphazard results born from her previously meticulous controls. This shift of focus led to a novel exploration of free-form results, derived from seemingly random shapes and forms. Lee delves into the serendipitous and capricious, using varied substrates like paint, ink, paper, pigment, and even beeswax, crafting an interplay of collision and harmony on the canvas.

▲ 동백 Camellia, gouache, ink and beeswax on paper, 116.8x91cm, 2023, Courtesy of Gallery2.

The latest series is characterized by a technique Lee refers to as "molting" or "peeling", where she meticulously peels away layers of Korean paper, revealing a diverse spectrum of colors and intensities. As she removes layers and introduces colors, Lee uses wax to protect what she believes is finished and deserves preservation. This technique often results in the canvas's reverse side becoming the final piece of art, highlighting a fascinating contrast and harmony within the canvas's elements.

The influence of jeongak (篆刻: stamp cutting), an art that her father taught her during her childhood, is evident in Lee's work. The final product that she desires can be best described as "Cicada Wings"—a blend of form and function, much like the aesthetic and structural beauty of the wings of a cicada.

▲ 파종1 Sowing1, gouache, ink and beeswax on paper, 72.7x60.6cm, 2023, Courtesy of Gallery2."Cicada Wings" is a celebration of the balance between structure and aesthetics, an exploration of the lines dividing chance and inevitability, color and material, and even the front and back of a piece of paper. Through her work, Sojung Lee challenges traditional methods and embraces imperfections to reveal structural beauty.

The exhibition is set to run until Saturday, June 24th. This is a unique opportunity to experience the brilliant interplay of material, color, and form in Sojung Lee's captivating artwork.

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Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com