‘I focus on capturing the chain of actions in nature, such as the movement of a light source, and the true nature of inconsistency.’
Artist: 이진석 / Lee Jin Seok
Artistic style: Hyperrealist paintings inspired by the beauty of Jeju Island
Biggest artistic influence: James Turrell and Olafur Eilasson.
About the artist
Lee create works that draw their inspiration from Jeju Island, and its beauty, where he was born and raised. Having been highly interested in art since he was a child, Lee says the reason he chose to pursue a career in fine art was that he had been ‘fascinated by a drawing of one of my seniors in high school when I was in art society. So I thought I would like to show people my own fascinating artwork’.
Lee’s artistic debut was in 2009, and since then he has had 9 solo exhibitions and several group exhibitions. Since 2021, however Lee has been working as a leader and director of ‘Momen Art Project’, exhibiting not only in Korea but also in New York and London. As to future plans, and dream projects, Lee advises that he is ‘planning a project regarding climate issues.’
On his artistic method and technique
Lee’s work shows the natural beauty of epoxy resin when it is put on an aluminium panel. When built up over topographical layers, the resin blends together and creates wonderful tones. As to the creative process itself, there is a lot of thought that goes into it. For example, Lee has to calculate the inclination of the panel, the amount of resin, the location of pouring and the density of colour in the resin before the process starts.
‘My works’, Lee says, ‘imitate nature. I use the structure of nature rather than expressing nature as it is seen.’ His hope is for people to see how nature is translated by him in various ways.
On being an artist
I asked Lee quite a few questions on what it is like to be an artist, what challenges he has faced over the course of his career and how he overcomes difficulties such as creative blocks. To these he replied:
‘I think taking a rest when you face difficulties is also one of the ways to defeat any challenges. I do some work or have sometimes hobbies that do not relate to arts. Sometimes it gives me more inspiration regarding my artwork. Keeping my word and making it to my work is the hardest challenge for me all the time.’
I also asked what he feels most proud of, to which he replied:
‘What I feel proud of myself for is I never stopped working as an artist for over 10 years. An artist is like a marathoner. Sometimes you need to run fast, but you can also walk a bit if you are exhausted. But never stop, keep moving. Fine art might not be popular, but more people are interested in art and love art than I thought.’
What is the best reaction an audience has had to your art?
‘Rotating Light’, which was made when I was inspired by Olafur Eilasson. I made a light move with dichroic films. It was my first time collaborating with an installation artist while I always worked on the canvas. The light beautifully moved so many audiences were taken photos and videos.
Is there a piece that you are most proud of?
It’s difficult to pick only one piece, but I like ‘Blue, Blue and Blue’ that I used epoxy resin for the first time.
Faye’s comment
I’d love to learn more about the artist’s personal experience of living on Jeju island, which I understand to be very beautiful, and in particular, what images inspire Lee.
As to his art itself, I love all the different colours, how they blend together, all the different colour variations — all of which make his work really fascinating to look at. I like how unique they all are. I would love to watch the process involved – and to know how long it takes for each layer of resin to set.
Where to follow Lee’s work
Instagram: @jinseok_lee_studio
Online at:
https://artisty.co.kr/artist/leejinseok
https://www.koreanartlondon.com/jin-seok-lee