Jung Lee is a Korean artist born in 1972 Seoul and is best known for her photographs of text-based neon light installations set directly into the landscape. With contrasting sentimental phrases juxtaposed with stark layouts of deserted plains or barren snow fields, she makes strong various emotional statements. One of her sources of inspiration for many of her artworks is Roland Barthes's book 'A lover's discourse'. Lee slows everything down patiently analysing that most intense and overwhelming of states, unanswered desire – the language of complete love and the deep solitary state it throws the lover into. She collects clichéd expressions of love and hatred such as ‘How could you do this to me?’ and ‘I still remember’ and gives them resonance in form of powerful proclamations.
Jung Lee received her M.A. in Photography from the Royal College of Art, UK and her B.A. with honors in Photography from Kent Institute of Art & Design, UK. She also received a B.A. with honors in Mass Communication & Journalism from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea.
Jung Lee currently lives and works in Seoul, Korea.
Education
2005
MA in Photography, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2002
BA in Photography, First Class, Kent Institute of Art & Design, Kent, UK
1996
BA in Mass Communication & Journalism, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
Selected solo exhibitions
2023
Somewhere between Day and Night, S2A Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2021
Jung Lee, Christophe Guye Galerie, Zurich, Switzerland
2016
No More, ONE AND J. Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2013
Jung Lee, Green Art Gallery, Dubai, UAE
Day and Night, ONE AND J. Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2011
Aporia, ONE AND J. Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2008
Another Country, Space vava, Seoul, Korea
2007
Bordering North Korea, Space vava, Seoul, Korea
Selected group exhibitions
2021
Daegu Forum1: Playground for Poetry, Daegu Art Museum, Daegu, Korea
2020
CHAPTER 3HREE MAARTEN SPRUYT, Het HEM, Zaandam, Netherlands
2019
The Possibilities of Urban Regeneration: Partnerships’, Seoul Urban Regeneration Gallery, Seoul, Korea Playing Texting, Dohing Art, Seoul, Korea
2018
#Meterial4.0, Galerie Stadt Sindelfingen, Sindelfingen, Germany
2017
The Anti-Art Museum Show, K Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea
Meta-scape, Wooyang Museum of Contemporary Art, Gyeongju, Korea
2016
The Secret Garden, Seoul Museum, Seoul, Korea
Selected EDITION: Art & Design, Shinsegae Centum City Gallery, Busan, Korea
2015
Korea Tomorrow 2015, Sungkok Art Museum, Seoul, Korea
Living & Art, Innen Designworks, Seoul, Korea
Korean Contemporary: Fusion, Galerie Ron Mandos, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2014
Seven Korean Artists: Sovereign Asian Art Prize, Index Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Sovereign Asian Art Prize, Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong
2013
International Foto and Media Triennial, Villa Merkel Gallery, Esslingen, Germany
Aporia, Gallery Hyundai Window, Seoul, Korea
2012
Landscapes of Moment, Seongnam Art Center, Seongnam, Korea
Photographic!: Daegu Photo Biennale, Daegu Culture and Arts Center, Daegu, Korea
Image and Text, ONE AND J. Gallery, Seoul, Korea
A Postcard from Afar: North Korea from a Distance, Apexart, New York, USA
Power of Photography: Analogue & Digital, Trunk Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2011
Terra Incognita, International Incheon Women Artists’ Biennale, Incheon, Korea
Frame, Frieze Art Fair, London, UK
Dual Images, Pohang Museum of Steel Art, Pohang, Korea
2010
Maninbo/10000 LIVES, Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, Korea
Chaotic Harmony, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, USA
2009
Chaotic Harmony, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Houston, USA
New Digital Age Project, Novosibirsk State Art Museum, Novosibirsk, Russia
2008
Young Photo, Shinsegae Artwall Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Meta-Text, Meta-Image, Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, Korea
Photo 300, Trunk Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2007
Writing Paintings, Painting Words, SeMA, Seoul, Korea
The Voyeurs, Trunk Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Strange Compass, Gallery Noon, Seoul, Korea
Landscape, Trunk Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2006
UltraSense: Seoul International Photography Festival, Seoul, Korea
Dreamworks, Gallery Haas & Mayer AG, Zurich, Switzerland
Culture Bound, Eastwing Collection 07, Courtauld Institute, London, UK
2005
RCA Summer Show, Hoopers Gallery, London, UK The Show One, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2004
Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Awards
2014
Finalists, Sovereign Asian Art Prize, Sovereign Art Foundation, Hong Kong
2011
Seoul Foundation for Art & Culture, Seoul, Korea
2007
Seoul Foundation for Art & Culture, Seoul, Korea
2005
Hoopers Gallery Awards, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Matthews Wrightson Awards, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2004
Fine Art Bursary, Royal College of Art, London, UK
2003
British Government’s Chevening Scholarship, British Council Korea, Seoul, Korea
