Lee Kangwook: Paradoxical Space

About the exhibition

Lee Kangwook 'Paradoxical Space' Lee Kangwook has been chosen as the selected artist of Gallery Huue’s first exhibition in 2017. In 2013, Lee successfully finished his solo exhibition at Gallery Huue, and numerous collectors now own his works. We look forward to seeing the success of yet another exhibition of Lee Kangwook at Gallery HUUE. The first impression of Lee’s abstract painting was the image of some sort of refinement but small and big dots were repeatedly drawn like some kind of a cell in layers, and they visually broke the flatness of the surface and created a new form within the distance. It observed how much those visualized forms finely glittered under sparkling beads, or on top of spreads of paint in Lee’s abstract painting. Contrasting concepts of the world depicted in his works allow organic beings to exist neither too heavily nor too lightly within his painting, as referenced within the title of his thesis for his doctorate in London, Aesthetics of Moderation. In Lee Kangwook’s painting, when moderation and discernment, contemplation and echoes of the inner side, and painting-ness and decorativeness coexist, the gestures in the paradoxical world are seen like forms of imagination beyond their original meanings. Lee began to stand out among many young artists after he swept various significant prizes in the leading contests across South Korea in his mid-20s where he managed to sell all of his submitted exhibition works. After his initial success, he went to study in England in order to expand internationally, and spent the duration of seven years finishing his MFA program at Chelsea College and Ph.D. at East London University in 2015. Today he is actively working, dividing his time between London and Korea. He became a professor of dept. of painting, art college at Hongik University in 2016. Lee Kangwook received BFA and MFA degree in Painting from HongIk University. He held a solo exhibition not only in England and South Korea – but also in Japan and Singapore. Lee’s paintings are favorably received by the art critics and private collectors for his abstract painting which look like the vast universe. Until now, he has been holding 17 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 100 group exhibitions in and outside of Korea. He is the youngest artist who has been awarded “Grand Prize” at the prestigious fine art contest in Korea. Lee also has won several prizes at the prestigious fine art contests and also participated in various corporation art projects in Korea. He has a sizeable fan base around the world. The main collectors of his paintings include Ho-am Art Museum, Seoul Museum of Art, National Museum of contemporary Art, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Sam Sung Hotel, LS Industrial Systems Co. Lid., Hyundai Motor Company, Samsung Medical Center, LG fashion, KyoWon group, Tomato Savings Bank, Marriott Hotel, Coreana Cosmetics Co. Ltd, City 7 Hotel, Centum Leaders Mark, KASCO as well as many private collectors.