Sujin Lee: I Became You

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Saatchi Yates proudly presents ‘I Became You’ by breakout Korean artist Sujin Lee, opening 25 March and on view until 9 April 2024 at H Queen’s (17F) in Central Hong Kong.

Born in Jeju Island, Korea, renowned for its scenic currently resides and works in the bustling metropolis of Seoul. Her work draws profound inspiration from both her intimate circle of friends and the tranquilising nature of her hometown’s landscapes.

‘I Became You’ presents fourteen paintings from Lee’s latest body of work, intricately entwined with her sense of self and interpersonal relationships. Delving into reflections on those around her, Lee immerses herself in a symbiotic relationship with her subjects, visually portraying internal struggles and dysphoria in her paintings.

In Lee’s latest works, the female figures reveal their emotions through nuanced physical movements. In “Under the Breeze” (2023), strands of hair covering a woman’s face convey emotional turmoil, emphasizing a close connection between the viewer and the subject. Lee also adeptly intertwines natural landscapes, such as the sea breeze, or forest, seamlessly merging them with close-up portraits. Korean art historian Dong-Yeon Koh comments, “The ongoing self-conflicts and inner turmoil are the themes that ran through Lee’s work. According to the artist, she wants to focus on human figures that retain a state of deficiency. Her recent transformation, then, shows that she is finding subtle ways to express human anxiety and vulnerability.”

For Lee, the act of painting becomes a cathartic process in her quest for understanding – she confronts the enigmatic personas she encounters, unable to define them fully, ultimately acknowledging that some questions may never have definitive answers.

The highly anticipated show marks Lee’s second exhibition following her discovery by Saatchi Yates and her international debut at the London gallery in February 2022. This is the artist’s first solo show in Hong Kong and Saatchi Yates’ first pop-up exhibition in Asia.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Sujin Lee was born in Jeju Island, Korea, famous for its rich landscapes, and has since moved to Seoul, a contrasting metropolitan hub of Korea where she currently lives and works. Lee is heavily inspired by her close circle of friends who influence the groups of female figures in her works. Lee also takes great inspiration from the tranquilizing presence of nature in her hometown Jeju Island, and her works reflecting this often include backdrops of cityscapes with thick leafy plants surrounding groups of female figures. Lee’s works are a true celebration of female friendship, sisterhood, and all that lies in- between.