▲ Fire-tears, spray paint and oil on canvas, 259.1x387.8cm, 2024 ⓒ Haekang Lee, GALLERY2

Artist Haekang Lee is set to unveil his new exhibition, "Cloud Stepper," running from July 4 to August 3, 2024, at GALLERY2 in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.

Lee's work explores the theme of personal storage systems, which differentiate between what is saved and what is not, both in physical and digital forms. These decisions create a framework, establishing a context among the stored items, each narrating a chosen story.

"Cloud Stepper" features characters Lee has created for various commissions, such as clothing brands like Nike, musicians like Broccoli, You Too?, and Silica Gel, and projects like "KUUUNG" (Moah, 2021). These characters, once distinct yet ambiguous, are now central to his exhibition. 

▲ Won-ang Female, Spray paint and oil on canvas, 227.3x181.8cm, 2024 ⓒ Haekang Lee, GALLERY2

Although some characters were originally nameless and identified only by their associated brands or projects, Lee's process of character creation imbues them with unique identities. Outlines, colors, shapes, and even vague traits like personality and age are established, giving life to these creations.

Lee has transitioned these digital characters to physical canvases, presenting them as portraits. These portraits, typically vertical with a subtle half-profile, bring a new depth to the characters, contrasting against less-detailed backgrounds.

The previously unnamed characters now have names derived from various conventions. Examples include portmanteaus like Seika-Gel and Broccoli-Bluecat, as well as theme-based names like BulNunMul (Fire Tears) and SootWonang (Male Mandarin Duck). 

▲ Won-ang Male, Spray paint and oil on canvas, 227.3x181.8cm, 2024 ⓒ Haekang Lee, GALLERY2

The exhibition includes eleven paintings of Quasimodoom, a character fusion of hip-hop personalities like Quasimoto of Madlib and MF Doom. These works, created for a 2021 project, maintain consistent poses and expressions across different mediums.

Despite the initial uniformity in materials and composition, subtle differences in color palette, brightness, and the positioning of lights and darks emerge upon closer inspection. This iterative process highlights both the archetypal originality and the unique variations of each piece.

The QuasimoDoom paintings are distinct from Lee's original animations, which were composed of numerous frames. Here, each painting stands alone, breaking the sequence and emphasizing their individuality. 

▲ Two Dokkebi, Spray paint and oil on canvas, 116.8x91cm, 2024 ⓒ Haekang Lee, GALLERY2

The QuasimoDoom pieces on wooden panels differ from those on canvas, featuring only planes and outlines. This lack of background invites viewers to imagine new spaces, adding another layer of depth to the exhibition.

Initially confined to the flat digital realm, Lee's characters have now transitioned into the material world, gaining physical presence and depth. "Cloud Stepper" showcases these narratives from the digital cloud, now tangible and ready for contemplation and augmentation.

Lee Haekang's "Cloud Stepper" exhibition not only bridges digital and physical art forms but also invites viewers to explore the evolving context and stories within his creations.

▲ Two Dokkebi, Spray paint and oil on canvas, 116.8x91cm, 2024 ⓒ Haekang Lee, GALLERY2

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com