Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Tradition reborn through collaboration
Installation view of "Tamis Project O" by Lee Seul-gi at Gallery Hyundai / Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai
By Kwon Mee-yoo
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Artist Lee Seul-gi redefines tradition by adding layers of contemporariness to anthropological objects such as a quilt, sieve and basket in collaboration with craftspeople.
At her solo exhibition "DAMASESE," on view from Nov. 15 to Dec. 23, Lee casts a well-wishing incantation she conjured up for all kinds of artisans who are devoted to the fine art of craftsmanship.
Upon entering the gallery, visitors will face yellow ginkgo leaves on the floor against colorful walls in Lee's “Ginkgo Project B.”
"Gingko trees are known as one of the oldest trees that connect the East and the West. Viewers will experience the relationship with colors as they go into and transform the space," Lee said at a press preview of the exhibit, Tuesday.
"And these leaves will wither and change color and shape as the exhibition runs through December. When you examine gingko leaves closely, there are lines on each leaf and the lines remind people of line quilting techniques which can be seen in Blanket Project U."
Unlike some artists who lock themselves up in their own world to create art, Lee reaches for master artisans to work with her. "It's more fun when you work with someone else. I thought about the word tradition and concluded that my works question what tradition is," Lee said.
"Fan the Burning House" by Lee Seul-gi / Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai
For "Blanket Project U," Lee made quilted blankets with master "nubi" quilters from Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. The artist interpreted Korean proverbs visually, made drawings of blankets and sent them to master quilters to turn them into delicately crafted patchwork blankets.
"For me, bed is a place for sleeping and I caught the obscure moment between dreams and reality in bed. I considered blankets an in-between of dreams and reality and infused proverbs with community spirit into the blankets. So these blankets are a bit shamanistic and yes, you can actually sleep under them," the artist said.
Lee used "obangsaek," or five Korean traditional colors of white, black, blue, yellow and red, and visually interpreted proverbs such as "Repair the cowshed after losing the cow" and "Fan the burning house" in geometric patterns.
"Basket Project W" was created in collaboration with natives of the Ixcattelan village in Oaxaca, Mexico. The villagers use an endangered language and weave baskets out of palm tree fibers. Lee took notice of the unique patterns of these baskets and commissioned them to make baskets and hats, displayed on metal stands created by French craftsmen.
"Tamis Project O" is a modern rebirth of a French traditional wooden grain-weighing net by Lee. Instead of weighing grains, Lee made the tool to measure color by installing it high on the gallery wall.
"I like kitschy things. I am fascinated by freaky yet humorous elements coming from kitschness and it influenced my work," Lee said.
For more information about the exhibition, visit www.galleryhyundai.com.