Introspection is a key part of experiencing art, and Korean artist Lee Jung Woong has pretty much mastered that to challenge the limits of human perception. This is most evident in his formidably executed Brush painting series, which situates Oriental brushes in the centre of rhythmic and energetic brush strokes. Only they are just hyper-real paintings of brushes — just like the way there is often more to a story than meets the eye.
While this process of discovery seems to so perfectly create that specific headspace to get pensive about worldly things like perception and life, the mind of Lee Jung Woong is a curious one. There is a certain clarity in intention and his Korean identity which does not escape the art, but there is also a dynamism to Lee Jung Woong that can also be minutely picked up from the organised chaos of his ink explosions.
Here, we speak to the artist to learn more about his fascination with brushes, his roots, and how his relationship with art and nature has developed over the past few years of his career.
Hello Jung Woong! How have you been?
Very well, thank you! I have been working very hard these past two years, but I am happy to be able to travel again, and glad that Singapore is my first destination, thank you for the invitation!
Could you describe your art style in 10 or less words?
That is a challenge! I would say hyperrealistic and abstract, as well as introspective, metaphorical and self-reflective. It is also profoundly Korean, and you may recognise it by the brush subjects.
Actually, how did you get into art? Were you an artistic person since young?
Even as a child, I always felt attracted to art, I believe I was born for it. The more I learnt, the more I wanted to do it myself. Studying the history of Korean art and being inspired by the talent of Korean masters was also a way to connect to my culture and my Korean identity.
What do you usually turn to when you want to get inspiration for new work? Does it always stay the same or does it change?
My work is very introspective, so inspiration mainly comes from within, but I have noticed that working in a more natural setting – my new studio is outside Seoul, in a very quiet and soothing natural environment – brings me back to my roots. I grew up on an island, and to this day, I find going into nature to be very relaxing, and it allows me to “get in the zone”.
How about the art-making process — can you take me through it? We have to talk about brushes — what about them fascinates you?
When painting, I start with the ink marks. They may be large or small, regular or irregular, depending on my mood. Once this process is done and I am satisfied with the results, I move on to the hyperrealistic brush, which requires extremely meticulous and detailed work.
I came to collect painting brushes during my studies. The Chinese couplet, “文房四寶”, the Four Treasures of the Study — brush, ink, paper and inkstone, that are also reflective of Korean art, are what every artist should strive to master. One day, I realised that brush, ink, paper, and inkstone themselves could be art.
Focusing on these elements, I felt that the role of the brush was a metaphor for myself. The brush on the canvas creates a manifestation of me as I wield the actual brush. The brush encapsulates my intention, my gesture and the final result, the entire creative process.
My research with the brush and the role of the brush as a metaphor for the brush-wielding artist, merging the concept of creation and the very reality of a painting, led me to believe the brush should not be a simplified representation but be brought to life in front of the viewer’s eyes. I like the idea of eliciting a show-stopping, second-guessing moment to bring viewers to reflect upon what they are seeing as an image.
Where do your cultural roots sit in your practice? Of course, the Korean rice paper, ink and the Oriental brush itself are all odes to that, but the hyperreal brush in your works brings to mind your western painting major.
My Korean heritage has shaped my visual culture from a very young age. I learned Western painting in my formal training, which expanded my horizons, but my Korean identity has always been the strongest in me, there is no denying where I come from.
Besides the look, how are your new Blue – Brush works differently from the black one? How did the idea of changing the ink colour come about?
After years of working on monochromes, I was looking to infuse emotion into my works. Going back to my childhood on Ulleungdo island, the blues of the sea and the sky and all their nuances were everywhere, and my relationship with blue is very emotional. It took me a long time, about 10 years, to create the “recipe” for the exact blue I was looking for, and even this process was an emotional re-connection to my youth.
How has your art-making changed over the last two years? Is the approach or perspective of art now different or still the same?
We were talking about nature inspiring me, and I believe that was, even more, the case during the pandemic. Being “stuck at home” meant no city life for me, I was staying at my studio, immersed in nature. The sky, the river and the forest were all I saw (which was very enjoyable, I am grateful for it!), and for my art, it meant delving deeper into this natural inspiration with the blue colours.
What do you want people to feel from your artworks?
My work is about bridging the gap between ideas and reality, between the intangible and the tangible, so I hope viewers of my paintings may feel a state of union between exteriority and interiority (物我一体); for body and mind to synchronise and to enter a state of therapeutic peacefulness that is coherent throughout the corporeal and the mental.
To end on a fun note, what was your most played song on Spotify last year?
I don’t use Spotify, but my daughter has told me about it. Should I download the app?
Once you’re done with this story, click here to catch up with our September 2022 issue!
RELATED ARTICLES
The AI-fication Of Facial Treatments
Fashion Is Yearning for More
