Biography

LEE Dongwook (b. 1976)'s works are the most realistically grounded with everyday reality. His choice of medium or method of expression is drastically private and lean toward his personal life and taste, but his work often contains serious observations of the individual in modern society's struggle to get through a daily routine or act as a critique or accusation of reality. His cynical and distanced gaze is filtered through humor and wit, but the content is always serious, and even grave at times. Through human figures, residues, traces that are meticulously positioned amongst humanoids made of Sculpey, trophies, rock collections and other items, LEE offers a calm portrait of the eternal return - alienation, balance, division, and isolation as they arise from the indivisible relationship between humanity and its society.

 

LEE Dongwook was born in Daejeon, Korea, in 1976. LEE graduated from the Department of Painting of Hongik University College of Fine Arts in 2001 and obtained his master's degree from the graduate school of the same university in 2003. LEE has held solo exhibitions at various institutions such as ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL (Seoul, Korea, 2024; 2012), ARARIO MUSEUM Dongmun Motel II (Jeju, Korea, 2016), Perigee Gallery (Seoul, Korea, 2016), Gallery Charlotte Lund (Stockholm, Sweden, 2013) and Doosan Gallery (New York, US, 2012). He has also participated in group exhibitions at ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL (Seoul, Korea, 2023; 2018; 2014; 2011; 2010), Daejeon Museum of Art (Daejeon, Korea, 2021), Inside-Out Art Museum (Beijing, China, 2017), Light Box (Venice, Italia, 2013), Doosan Gallery (Seoul, Korea, 2012), Museum of Arts and Design (New York, USA, 2011), Uppsala Art Museum (Uppsala, Sweden, 2011), National Museum of Contemporary Art (Gwacheon, Korea, 2010; 2009; 2004), Saatchi Gallery (London, UK, 2009), Total Museum of Contemporary Art (Seoul, Korea, 2009) and The National Museum of Art (Osaka, Japan, 2007) etc. LEE's works are part of many significant collections such as National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul Museum of Art, Burger Collection, Rubell Family Collection, Today Art Museum and more.

Works
  • LEE Dongwook, Coca-Cola Is Red 코카콜라는 빨간색, 2024
    Coca-Cola Is Red 코카콜라는 빨간색, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Number 숫자, 2024
    Number 숫자, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Seven Knights 일곱 명의 기사, 2024
    Seven Knights 일곱 명의 기사, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Shiny 빛나는, 2024
    Shiny 빛나는, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled 무제, 2024
    Untitled 무제, 2024
  • LEE Dongwook, Cliff, 2023
    Cliff, 2023
  • LEE Dongwook, Corner, 2023
    Corner, 2023
  • LEE Dongwook, Crane, 2023
    Crane, 2023
  • LEE Dongwook, Slide, 2023
    Slide, 2023
  • LEE Dongwook, Stair, 2023
    Stair, 2023
  • LEE Dongwook, Simple Combination 4 간단한 결합 4, 2022
    Simple Combination 4 간단한 결합 4, 2022
  • LEE Dongwook, 부족한 결합 I | Insufficient Combination-Part I, 2018
    부족한 결합 I | Insufficient Combination-Part I, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, 부족한 결합 | Insufficient Combination, 2018
    부족한 결합 | Insufficient Combination, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, 부족한 결합-Part II | Insufficient Combination-Part II, 2018
    부족한 결합-Part II | Insufficient Combination-Part II, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, 부족한 결합-Part IV | Insufficient Combination-Part IV, 2018
    부족한 결합-Part IV | Insufficient Combination-Part IV, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, 브릭 | Brick, 2018
    브릭 | Brick, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, 브릭 | Brick, 2018
    브릭 | Brick, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, 완벽한 결합 | Perfect Combination, 2018
    완벽한 결합 | Perfect Combination, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, 트로피 | Trophy, 2018
    트로피 | Trophy, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, 트로피 | Trophy, 2018
    트로피 | Trophy, 2018
  • LEE Dongwook, Armor, 2016
    Armor, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, All the interestings, 2016
    All the interestings, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, Burt's Bees, 2016
    Burt's Bees, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, Larva, 2016
    Larva, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, Red Mushrooms, 2016
    Red Mushrooms, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, S-hook , 2016
    S-hook , 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, Sure Catch, 2016
    Sure Catch, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2016
    Untitled, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2016
    Untitled, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, Waki Zaki, 2016
    Waki Zaki, 2016
  • LEE Dongwook, A Girl with Hoodie, 2015
    A Girl with Hoodie, 2015
  • LEE Dongwook, Pink Mushroom, 2015
    Pink Mushroom, 2015
  • LEE Dongwook, Red Mushroom, 2015
    Red Mushroom, 2015
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2014
    Untitled, 2014
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2014
    Untitled, 2014
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2014
    Untitled, 2014
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2014
    Untitled, 2014
  • LEE Dongwook, Fearless, 2013
    Fearless, 2013
  • LEE Dongwook, Pooh, 2013
    Pooh, 2013
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2013
    Untitled, 2013
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2013
    Untitled, 2013
  • LEE Dongwook, Useful Man, 2013
    Useful Man, 2013
  • LEE Dongwook, Good Boy, 2012
    Good Boy, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, Good Taste, 2012
    Good Taste, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, Love Me Tender, 2012
    Love Me Tender, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, Nice Shot, 2012
    Nice Shot, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, Pinky, 2012
    Pinky, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, Pooh, 2012
    Pooh, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, Sweet Dream, 2012
    Sweet Dream, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2012
    Untitled, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, 아직 제목이 없다 | Not titled yet, 2012
    아직 제목이 없다 | Not titled yet, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, 지켜야 할 영광과 지우고 싶은 과거 | Engraved Glory Indelible Past, 2012
    지켜야 할 영광과 지우고 싶은 과거 | Engraved Glory Indelible Past, 2012
  • LEE Dongwook, Wen, 2011
    Wen, 2011
  • LEE Dongwook, Wolf attack, 2011
    Wolf attack, 2011
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2010
    Untitled, 2010
  • LEE Dongwook, White Arab Horse, 2010
    White Arab Horse, 2010
  • LEE Dongwook, Drive 1, 2009
    Drive 1, 2009
  • LEE Dongwook, Untitled, 2009
    Untitled, 2009
  • LEE Dongwook, Beggar, 2008
    Beggar, 2008
  • LEE Dongwook, Cross breeding, 2008
    Cross breeding, 2008
  • LEE Dongwook, Legend, 2008
    Legend, 2008
  • LEE Dongwook, Princess, 2008
    Princess, 2008
Exhibitions
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