Kyong Lee

1967
(KOREA) KOREAN

Kyong Lee is a Korean abstract artist whose work reconciles physical and emotional realities through a multi-disciplined exploration of color, material, process and form. She lives and works in Seoul, Korea.

Education

Lee received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Hong-ik University in Seoul, Korea, in 1991. She earned her Masters Degree from the University of Fine Arts in Braunschweig, Germany, in 2000.
From 2001-2002 she was the Artist in Residence at the internationally well known SSamzieSpace Studio Residence Program, Seoul, Korea.

Technique

Lee is dedicated to precision in her processes. She meticulously plans her color choices and dedicates a fixed amount of time to the mixing of each color. To create her gradated color paintings, she first layers tape in strips across the surfaces. Each layer of paint is applied over a fixed time span and allowed to rest for another fixed amount of time. This is a process of building up, layering, accumulating. The gradations express relationships between colors and moments. Some of her paintings feature text. For these works, Lee embosses the word she has selected for the piece into the surface first then applies a monochromatic hue that correlates to, and collaborates with, the chosen word. The color occupies the word and fills all of the space around it. For Lee, process is poetic, and essential to the meaning of the work.

Inspiration

In her work, Lee is responding to her emotional experiences within her physical surroundings. Color is her primary visual language. For her, color is not only self-referential. Color also relates to emotional states. It is a way of expressing feeling, of projecting thoughts, and of evoking the natural processes of life. Lee is inspired by the flow of time and the layering of experiences. She contemplates memory and the ways her vision of the past changes with the accumulation of time. She is also interested in automatism. Through unconscious processes she has made connections between different ways of communicating, such as associating specific words with particular hues in her Color as Adjective series. Additionally, Lee is concerned with the tilt of the planet on its axis. Earth is tilted at 23.5 degrees, a condition which causes us to experience the seasons in the way that we do. Lee wonders if there is a correlation here between our false assumption that we are standing horizontally and other assumptions we make, such as our assumptions about, as she says, "the horizon of emotions."

Collections

Work by Lee is in multiple public and institutional collections, including that of the Seoul Museum of Art, the Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, and the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Bank, Seoul, Korea. Wells Fargo recently acquired 16 of her artworks for its corporate collection.

Exhibitions

Work by Lee Kyong has been exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions in Korea and Germany. Recent solo exhibitions include Color as Adjective II in Chonan, South Korea, and Feeling, Language and Color in Seoul.

Galleries

Gallery Choi, Seoul
Metagallery Laluna

Less is More: Minimalism

Nov 09, 2015

Minimalism is an abstract art movement which emerged in America in the 1960’s, and which mostly refers to painting and sculpture. Minimalist pieces in no way attempt to represent external visual r...

Lives and works in YangPyeong, Korea

2000 – Meisterschülerin (Prof. Klaus Stümpel), Hochschüchule für bildende Künste Braunschweig, Germany
1999 – Diplom, Hochschüchule für bildende Künste Braunschweig, Germany
1991 – B.F.A. Hong-ik university in Seoul, Korea

Solo Exhibitions

2025 –Spring, the feeling, Conte-B Gallery, Seoul
2024 –LEE KYONG, Satie’sfactory Inc
2024 –Color as Adjective X, Wow Gallery, Seoul
2023 –Color as Adjective 9, Artspace KC, SeongNam
2022 – Color as Adjective VIII,Wow Gallery, Seoul
2022 – Color as Adjective VII_The world perceived by colors, MetaGallery LaLuna, Seoul
2022 – Color as Adjective VI_My survival story, Gallery CHOI, Seoul
2021 –Color as Adjective V, Gallery 1, Seoul
2020 – Color as Adjective IV, Gallery Wow, Seoul *
2018 – Color as Adjective III, Gallery CHOI, Seoul *
2016 – Color as Adjective II, galleria center city, Chonan
2014 – Feeling, Language and Color, Gallery Royal, Seoul *
2013 – Color as Adjective, Multipurpose Art Hall EMU, Seoul *
2012 – LEE KYONG, Hansung Auto Gallery, Seoul
2011 – Mögliche Farbhorizonte, Gallery Art Sagan, Seoul *
2009 – The silent world, Erl Gallery, Seoul *
2009 – A faraway land, Leehyun Gallery, Seoul
2008 – Painting with no Evidence, Gallery Doll, Seoul *
2007 – The fascination of equilibrium, Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, Kwangju
2006 – Collected landscape, Seo Young Artist, Seo gallery, Seoul
2003 – Dailyscape, Dukwon Gallery, Seoul *
2002 – Zeit 2002_Site, Dukwon Gallery, Seoul
2000 – Water, Holiday Inn hotel, Hannover, Germany
1999 – LEE KYONG, Sperling GbR, Braunschweig, Germany
1998 – LEE KYONG, Kreishaus im Kulturamt, Helmstedt, Germany
1998 – LEE KYONG, Nord Deutsche Rundfunk(NDR), Braunschweig, Germany
1998 – Formlos-formbar, WOGA-Pavillon, Braunschweig, Germany
1998 – Formlos-formbar II, Autohaus Holzberg, Braunschweig, Germany
1996 – LEE KYONG, BKB, Helmstedt, Germany

Group Exhibitions

2026 –Ten Springs, Opening the Next, Gallery Choi, Seoul
2025 –HIKER, Onair Gallery, Seoul
2024 –Into the Colors, The Gallery Hosu, Seoul
2024 –See/Saw, Yangpyeong Art Museum, Yangpyeong
2024 –Everyone but Caspar, Kunsthalle Niendorf, Germany
2023 –Essentialism, Gallery Choi, Seoul
2022 –Gilead Hope Gallery 10th Anniversary-Color of Hope, Gallery Insa1010, Seoul
2022 – When you sing you are where you are, Ligak Museum of Art, Cheonan
2022 –Dialog of points, lines, and planes, Guri Artshall, Guri
2021 –Caress and Graze, Finepaper Gallery, Seoul
2021 –THE GENESIS: In the Beginning, 1st Metaverse NFT Exhibition, Eddysean Gallery in Cryptovoxels
2021 –Mango Art Festivalwith Joyman Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
2021 –Plastic Art Seoulwith Choi Gallery, Coex, Seoul
2021 –10th Busan annual market of Artwith ARK Gallery, Bexco, Busan
2020 –1st Special edition PONTE Art International Exhibition, Ponte Art Online Gallery
2020 –Post-YangPyeong, Yang Pyeong Art Museum, Yang Pyeong
2020 –Young Eun appreciative friends, Connecting Memory: Sincerely, Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, Kwangju
2019 –BOMSTAION: Wearable art runway show, L40-Kunstverein, Berlin, Germany
2019 –I am ART, Fashion collaboration, Gyeol Gallery, Seoul
2018 –Taehwa River Eco Art Festival
2018-Once a God, Taehwa River Park area, Ulsan
2018 – 2017 SeMA’sNew Acquisitions – Heaven, Earth & Man, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul
2018 –ART BUSAN 2018, with Gallery Choi, BEXCO, Busan, Korea
2016 –The colors in Korean life and culture, National folk museum of Korea, Seoul
2016 – Selected EDITION Art & Design, Shinsegae Gallery Centumcity, Busan
2016 –Open Studio-double act III, Danwol studio, Yangpyeong2016 –Craving Colors, 63Art Museum, Seoul
2016 –Lee Kyong with SSHB, a-route Art platform, Seoul
2015 –Following traces, Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, Kwangju
2015 – Learning Knowledge of Nature, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea
2015 – The Memory of europe, Art space Hoseo, Seoul
2014 – SeMA Collection-Gift, seoul museum of art, Seoul *
2014 – COLOR, Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center, Goyang *
2014 – Well, Artistparty, Seoul
2014 – The other art fair, London
2014 – Open Studio Project-double act II, Danwol Studio, Yangpyeong, Korea
2013 – YISANG-DUCHAMP, Museum of Korean Modern Literature, Seoul
2013 – Changwon Asian Art Festival, Sungsan Arts Hall, Changwon
2013 – The Passage of the Time, Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, Kwangju
2012 – Out of Frame, Interalia Art, Seoul
2012 – Harmony, ujung Art Center, Seoul
2012 – Travel Art-Artists on the Road, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Ansan
2012 – White, Arte Giani, Frankfurt, Germany
2012 – Open Studio Project-double act, Hanglin Dongsan, YoungIn, Korea
2011 – Maeulmisul-Happiness Project 2011, YeongCheon, Korea *
2010 – The Painting, Gallery ArtSagan, Seoul
2010 – ColorxArtxPlayx2, Goyang Oulim Nuri Arts Center, Goyang *
2010 – Free Style : A Dialogue Between Art and Design, Hongik Museum of Art, Seoul
2010 – Remind, Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, Kwangju *
2010 – Samda Stories-The Wind – Special Exhibition 2010 0f Jeju Museum of Art, Jeju
2010 – Two Person Exhibition with Kim Hyungsup, 123Gallery, Seoul
2010 – Color & Stripes, Jangheung Art Park-Red Space, Jangheung
2009 – Colorist, KAIST Art & Research, Leehyun Seoul Gallery, Seoul
2009 – Hongik Art & Design Festival, Hongik Museum of Art, Seoul
2009 – New Brave World, Seoul Auction, Shinsegae centumcity, Busan
2008 – Wander on the Sky, 63 Sky Art Museum, Seoul
2008 – Re-recording, Grimson Gallery, Seoul
2008 – Ssamzie Space 1998-2008, Ssamzie Space, Seoul
2008 – SeMA 2008, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul
2008 – Up to the minute, Korea Art Center, Busan
2008 – Youngeun Residency, Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, Kwangju
2007 – Artist Forum International, ARTIST1:1CRITIC, Project Space Sarubia
2007 – Anonymous drawings 6, Anke Becker, Meinblau e.V. Berlin, Germany
2007 – Seo+Love, Seogallery, Seoul
2006 – The Creation of speculated Landscape, DECOYA Inc. Seoul
2006 – A Walk between Nature & Culture, Korea Land Corporation, Pangyo
2006 – Pre-International Incheon Women Artist’s Biennale, Multiculture & Arts center, Incheon
2004 – Sketch, Gallery Demain, Seoul
2003 – New Image Artist-Daegu Art Expo 2003, EXCO, Daegu
2002 – Blue, Gallery La Meer, Seoul *
2002 – Open-studio in Ssamzie space, Seoul
2001 – Crossing Parallels between, Ssamziespace in Seoul and Lance Fung Gallery in New York
2000 – Meisterschüler 2000, Wilkewerke, Braunschweig, Germany
2000 – Kunstpreis WELDE 2000, Plankstadt, Germany
2000 – With Anna-L. Menzel, Landgericht Niedersachsen, Braunschweig, Germany
1999 – Klassenausstellung, Schloß Seggerde, Germany
1998 – Andreas Kunstpreis 1998, St. Andreasberg, Germany
1998 – Three people exhibition, Handwerkskammer, Braunschweig, Germany
1998 – MEWA Kunstpreis 1998, Wiesbaden, Germany
1996 – Wasser-with S. Malaka, Stadtbad Braunschweig, Germany
1991 – New Frontier, Kyungin Gallery, Seoul, Korea

Residency Programs

2006 – 2008 Youngeun Museum. Artist-in-residence Program, Kwangju, Korea
2001 – 2002 SsamzieSpace Studio Residence Program, Seoul, Korea

Grants

2014 – Seoul city, Arts Council Korea, Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture, Korea
2013 – Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture, Korea
2011 – Gyeong-Gi Cultural Foundation, Korea
2009 – Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture, Korea
2008 – Arts Council Korea, Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture, Korea

Public Collections

Seoul Museum of Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Art Bank, 63Sky Art Museum, Jeju Museum of Art, Youngeun Museum of Contemporary Art, Ssamzie Collection, Yangpyeong Art Museum, Korea, Wells Fargo Collection

Wells Fargo’s Co. Collection, USA, Volkswagen AG Wolfsburg, Nord Deutsche Landes Bank Hannover, Landgericht Niedersachsen Braunschweig, Germany

Publications

2024 –Color as Adjective X, Catalogue, Gallery Wow2022 –Color as Adjective VIII, Catalogue, Gallery Wow2020 –Lee Kyong’s Color-Color as Adjective IV, Catalogue, Gallery Wow2018 –Color as Adjective III, Catalogue, Gallery CHOI2014 – Feeling, language and color, Catalogue and e-Book, Nespace

2013 – Color as adjective, Catalogue and e-Book, Nespace
2012 – Lee Kyong 1996-2011 Painting/Text, Catalogue and e-Book, Nespace
1999 – Lee Kyong, Contemporary Selfportraits catalogue, Kyong Lee
1999 – Motiv FOTOS, Photograph, Kyong Lee
1998 – Lee Kyong, Bilder und Zeichnungen, Contemporary Selfportraits catalogue, Kong Lee

Reviews

2026: IdeelArt Magazine, interview
2016. 5. CNB Journal vol 484, +Art in, 52~54p2014. 6. Art & Design, Interview, 180-181p.
2013. 7. Art in Culture, Focus, 74-77p.
2013. 7. Wolganmisool, vol.342. Review 0713. 137p.
2011. 11. Art in Culture, Focus, 76-79p.
2010. 6. Wolganmisool, vol.305. power of painting. 78-79p.
2009. 6. Style H. “paint your swimsuit” 94-103p.
2008. 9. Style H. “Art meets fashion”
2008. 6. Wolganmisool, VOL.281. hot art space. 80p.
2008. 5. Wolganmisool, VOL.280. sight & issue. 98-99p.
2008. 5. Sisain. vol.36. Review. 90p.
2007. 7. Art in Culture. Review. 138p.
2007. 7. Noble Asset. Insight Art. 28p.
2007. 6. LUXURY. Review. 52-53p.
2007. 5. LUXURY, ‘Artist Oblige” 377-378p.
2007. 1-2 Paradise, Cover
2006. 9. Wolganmisool, VOL.260. Art & Animal, 83p.
2006. 8. Wolganmisool, VOL.259. Review.
2006. 7. Light and Salt, Exhibition. 34-35p.
2002. 3. architect Poar, ‘Beautiful Color, Beautiful Life” 58p.
2001. 2. 5. JoongAng Ilbo, A Year to Move, Ponder, Grow. Park Soo-mee
1998. 11. 13. Artspeak, Norddeutsche Rundfunk, Interview by Daniel Simons
1998. 7. 22. Helmstedter Blitz, In den Bildern spiegelt sich Vorstellung der Natur
1998. 7. 14. Braunschweiger Zeitung, Im Mittelpunkt der Malereien steht das Wasser.ER.
1998. 7. 10. Helmstedter Zeitung, Natur gewinnt individuelle Kontur.
1996. 6. Magazin Dialog, Der flüchtige Augenblick, Review