Yoon Lee
Winner of the 2007 Eduardo Carrillo Prize in Painting
View Paintings by Yoon Lee
Artist Statement:
There is an emphasis on materiality in my work that results from my interest in a particular surface quality I am able to get from pouring synthetic paint. Amplifying the fluidity and the unique tactile quality of this medium requires an intense physical labor. At first glance, the surface of the paintings suggests effortlessness due to its gestural and fluid visual quality. Upon closer inspection however, its rigors of precision and control becomes apparent.
In effect, the work contests the myth of artistic genius, as in abstract expressionism and action painting or rather, misunderstanding thereof. The gesture is false—what remains is the fluidity, a phenomenological approach to aesthetics governed by the absolute laws of physical world such as gravity and surface tension.
I recognize that resilience of synthetic substance is alluring in its appearance especially when coupled with vibrant colors and transparency but its synthetic make up is at odds with nature. The allure of synthetic materiality in my work is close to that of confectionaries and shiny plastic items that have inundated our culture. This connection between the work and consumer goods reflects my interest in consumption as a strategy to assuage urban anxiety. My work addresses the relationship between this anxiety and the speed in which information and signals travel through space.
View Paintings by Yoon Lee
