LEE Jinju

The paintings of LEE Jinju (b. 1980) open up landscapes where memory and the unconscious, truth and fiction, and frozen time coexist. Every object and person that appears in her work contains the artist’s gaze, rejuvenating the memories in the process of encounter. LEE’s work begins with repetitive questions thrown in life. The tangible results of this internal exploration process, which originated from these continuous inquiries, are expressed through sharp and geometric, sometimes seemingly ordinary and minuscule objects that have been carefully dissected from the well-constructed framework of daily life and memory. One step further, the artist’s canvas becomes the intermediate zone where boundaries between life and death, underground and surface, day and night are transcended, and the overlapping layers of dense metaphor unravel and sustain a fragmented and shattered world. In this place, the movements of existence escape the dimensions of time and space, randomly infiltrating the crevices of memory throughout various spaces. To LEE, memory is constantly summoned by sensory stimuli. These sensory stimuli allow us to perceive the unseen dimensions more distinctly and serve as the essence of human instinct and the catalyst for artistic creation, capturing the elusive realm beyond tangible forms.

LEE Jinju studied East Asian painting and she delicately depicts uncanny and strange scenes, objects, and landscapes she encounters in her daily life, applying the coloring techniques of East Asian painting. LEE’s ‘shaped canvas’, which represents time, space and perspective through three-dimensional painting, offers a way to delve into the intricacies of the numerous stories within a grand landscape. On the other hand, her ‘black painting’, which portrays body parts such as hands and faces emerging from the pitch-black darkness, presents fragmented subjects in a more eerie manner, showcasing them dramatically. The details that emerge in LEE Jinju’s work goes beyond simply replicating the subject. They capture the artist’s gaze towards the subject and the attitude cultivated through extensive observation.

LEE Jinju has held solo exhibitions at ARARIO MUSEUM Tapdong Cinema (Jeju, Korea, 2022-2024), ARARIO MUSEUM in SPACE (Seoul, Korea, 2020), Triumph Gallery (Moscow, Russia, 2019), Edwin's Gallery (Jakarta, Indonesia, 2018), and ARARIO GALLERY Seoul (Seoul, Korea, 2017), among others. LEE has also participated in group exhibitions at numerous venues including Marres, House of Contemporary Culture (Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2022), White Cube Seoul (Seoul, Korea, 2023), SONGEUN (Seoul, Korea, 2023 and 2022), Jeju Museum of Art (Jeju, Korea, 2023), Korea Cultural Center (Brussels, Belgium, 2021), National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (Seoul, Korea, 2021), Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale (Jeonnam, Korea, 2021), Museum of Moscow (Moscow, Russia, 2021), ARARIO GALLERY Cheonan (Cheonan, Korea, 2021), Gyeongnam Art Museum (Changwon, Korea, 2021), Asia Culture Center (Gwangju, Korea, 2019), Gangwon International Biennale (Gangwon, Korea, 2018), Seoul Museum of Art (Seoul, Korea, 2015), Doosan Gallery New York (New York, US, 2013), OCI Museum of Art (Seoul, Korea, 2011), Ilmin Museum of Art (Seoul, Korea, 2010). LEE Jinju received Second Prize of JoongAng Fine Arts Prize in 2009 and Second Prize of SONGEUN Art Award in 2014. LEE's works are in public collections in Korea, in the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul Museum of Art, Gyeongnam Art Museum, ARARIO MUSEUM, SONGEUN Art and Cultural Foundation, and OCI Museum of Art.

LEE Jinju

Forêt

The 13th Hesitation

Dancing Queen

LEE Jinju: An Obscure Reply

GQ: HWANG Gyutae, CI KIM, KONG Sunghun, LEE Jinju

Leepoétique: LEE Jinju

At Last, to See

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More than That

Korean artist Lee Jinju’s debut Hong Kong exhibition features 23 new pieces

LEE Jinju, Renowned for Her "Velvety Deep Black Paintings," Holds Her First Solo Exhibition in Hong Kong

From the U.S. to Europe and Hong Kong, K-art is captivating the eyes of people around the world.

Artist Lee Jinju's First Solo Exhibition in Hong Kong, No Ground.

LEE Jinju's First Solo Exhibition in Hong Kong: "No Ground"

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National Treasure-Level Chinese Ink Paintings Gather at Deoksugung

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[News] "This Is the Art of Beopgochangsin (法古創新)" ...148 Masterpieces of Korean and Chinese Ink Painting in One Place

[News] Chinese-Korean blockbuster ink paintings enters Deoksugung Palace… Chinese people are also surprised by the national treasure paintings

[News] The Unique Charm of Ink Wash Painting: The Past and Present of Korean and Chinese Ink and Color Paintings

[News] Masterpieces of First-Class Ink Wash Paintings That "Can't Even Be Seen in China" Arrive in Korea

[News] National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Hosts Korea-China Ink and Color Painting Exhibition: "The Unique Charm of Ink Wash Painting (水墨別美)"

[News] Six Directors Share Artwork Highlights at Frieze and Kiaf Seoul 2024

[News] An exhibition commemorating the promotion of Jeongamsa Sumano Pagoda to National Treasure of Jeongseon Jeongamsa Temple of Taebaeksan Mountain Jeokmyeolbogung, "With Oneself as an Island"

[News] Korea is narrow for them...Artists born in the 80s who travel abroad

[News] "From Nam June Paik to Lee Sung Ja"...Gyeongnam Art Museum's art collection exhibition for it's 20th Anniversary of its first opening

[News] Yellow ribbon that fluttered for 10 years, when will the answer of the years come to mind... The 10th anniversary of the Ferry Sewol disaster 'Memory, Stare, Wish"

[News] Must-See Booths at Art Jakarta 2023

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[News] Monthly Art: Artist Review LEE Jinju

[News] Lee Jinju on the Subjectivity of Seeing

[News] Jinju Lee Dazzles During Seoul Art Week and Beyond

[News] White Cube Seoul Opening Exhibition..."Attention" by Korean artist LEE Jinju.

[News] LEE Jinju at the White Cube Opening Exhibition

[News] A black painting that devours everything, it draws the attention of the art world

[News] "Dive into Korean Art: Seoul" held, foreign art officials visited artist SIM Raejung's art studio.

[News] "White Cube Seoul" Opens...First exhibition "The Embedded Spirit" held

[News] Arario Gallery Participates in International Art Fair Frieze Seoul and KIAF Seoul 2023 at the same time

[News] Kiaf-Freize Period…Four exhibitions will be held to introduce the next generation of Korean artists

[News] LEE Jinju: The Embodied Spirit

[Exhibition] LEEJinju: Already·Always·Everchanging

[ FAIR ] ART SG 2023

[Exhibition] LEE Jinju: Confined Composition Part 1

[Art Fair] Art Busan 2022

[Exhibition] LEE Jinju: Past. Present. Future.

[Exhibition] LEE Jinju: What Makes Me Wander

[Art Fair] KIAF Seoul 2021

[Video] LEE Jinju: Cooking Korean Art

[Gallery] Season's Greetings

[Exhibition] LEE Jinju: The Unperceived

[Exhibition] LEE Jinju: SongEun Art Award_the Final Four