Maelee Lee
Maelee Lee (b. 1963) is multidisciplinary Korean artist, whose multifaceted practice spans painting, sculpture, installation, photography, video, sound, and projection. Her work delves into the themes of individual existence, essence, and collective memory, using a wide range of media to explore profound questions about humanity and its relationship with time. By transcending the boundaries between past, present, and future, Maelee’s art serves as a reflection on the interconnectedness of life and history.
A significant turning point in her artistic journey came during her experience at the Wolnam-sa Temple excavation site in 2011, where her fascination with geological formations and the earth as a conduit between the past and present was sparked. This experience deepened her exploration of the links between history, humanity, and existence, which continues to shape her work.
Maelee has exhibited her work internationally, including major international exhibitions such as the Gwangju Biennale (Gwangju, Korea, 2010, 2011, 2022), Venice Biennale (Venice, Italy, 2015) and the Kobe Biennale (Kobe, Japan, 2015). Her pieces are held in collections, including the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), the Gwangju Museum of Art, the Gwangju Cultural Foundation, the Rush Philanthropic Art Foundation in New York, the Rush National Contemporary Museum in Sofia, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete, among others.
In addition to her practice, Maelee is a visiting professor at Chosun University, where she shares her expertise and passion for art with future generations of artists.
EDUCATION & RESIDENCIES
2008 Ph.D. in Fine Arts, Chosun University, Gwangju, KR
1996 MFA, Chosun University, Gwangju, KR
2014 Visiting Artist Program, Siena Art Institute-Siena, IT
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS (40+ Times)
2023 Homeosatsis 2023, Contemporary Art Museum of Crete, Crete, GR
2023 Echoes of the past Forever Present, Asian Art Works, Busan, KR
2022 Genesis, San Polo Gallery, Venice, IT 2021 Poetry Delivery
2021 Pyo Gallery, Seoul, KR 2020 Poetry Delivery
2020: The Muan Seungwoo oh Museum of Art, Muan, KR
2020 Poetry Delivery 2020: Shinsegae Gallery, Gwangju, KR
2019 The Cantos’s Space, Woojaegill Museum of Art, Gwangju, KR
2019 Book of Life, UM Gallery, Seoul, KR
2017 Poetry Delivery 2017 : Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, KR
2017 The Next Step, Elga Wimmer PCC, New York, USA
2016 Expanding the Paradigm, Dononopoulos International Fine Arts, Thessaloniki, GR
2015 ‘Lee Maelee_Poetry Delivery’, Gwangju Museum of Art, Gallery GMA, Seoul, KR
2015 Walking the Truth, Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete, Crete, GR
2014 On the Road to Wisdom, National Assembly Member’s Office, Seoul, KR
2014 Open Studio, Siena Art Institute, Siena, IT
2013 Portraits of shoe-Where do we come from and where are we heading to?, Media Cube 338, Gwangju, KR
2013 Portraits of shoe, Eunam Museum of Art, Gwangju, KR
2013 Portraits of shoe, Gallery Saeng-gak sangza, Gwangju, KR
2012 Into Great Silence, UM Gallery, Seoul, KR
KR 2011 Infinite Space, Chelsea Art Museum, New York, USA
2011 Dawn and Space, FEI Gallery, Guangzhou, CH
2011 Melange, Elga wimmer PCC, New York, USA
2010 Absolute Space, UM gallery, Seoul, KR
2009 Feminine Power and Mae-lee Lee, TENRI Cultural Institute, New York, USA
2009 The Void, Light Gallery, Branch of the Gwangju Museum of Art, Seoul, KR
2007 Revealing and Hiding the Void, The Museum of Art, Chosun University, Gwangju, KR
2005 Jang‐Art Gallery, Beijing, CN
2004 Communication and Desire, Lab Gallery, New York, USA
2000 Shinsegae Gallery, Gwangju, KR
1999 Dansung Gallery, Seoul, KR
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITION (500+ Times)
2024 A prelude to Korean Contemporary Art, Namuso Gallery, The Hague, NL
2023 Everything in the world, Mandala or Monad, The Muan Seungwoo oh Museum of Art, Muan, KR
2023 UTOPIA?! PEACE, Kunstraum Potsdam, Berlin, GE
2023 Poetic Paradise,Jeonnam Museum of Art, Gwangyang, KR
2022 Blood and Tears: Portrayals of Gwangju’s Democratic Struggle, Anya and Andrew Shiva Gallery, New York, USA
2022 Asia Culture Center x Gwangju Biennale, ACC. Gwangju, KR
2022 The second spring: The 30TH Anniversary of Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, KR
2019 The 4th Today’ s Documents_ A Stitch in Time, Today Art Museum, Beijing, CN
2019 ‘Grasses’离离原上草, Korean Cultural Center, Shanghai, Shanghai,CN
2018-2017 DMZ Art Festa, DMZ, KR
2017 Silver Lining Anniversary Show, Elga Wimmer PCC, NewYork, USA
2016 Shanghai Project, Himalayas Museum, Shanghai, CN
2015 56th Venice Biennale, La Biennale di Venezia Eventi Collaterali, Palazzo Ca’Paccanoon, Venezia, IT
2015 Kobe Biennale, Meriken Park, Kobe, JP
2015. UNESCO the Media Art Creative Cities, Gwangju 1stMugaksa, Gwangju, KR
2015 ‘Korean Flux’, Cyprus Gallery, Athens, GR
2013 Multifarious Appearances of Ten Thousand Things-From Things to Beings, Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, KR
2012 AMATERAS Annual Paper Art Exhibition 2012 SOFIA paper art fest, Alley Gallery, Sofia, BG
2012 Gwang ju Biennale Round Table, Gwang ju Biennale, Gwang ju, KR
2011 Sofia Paper Biennael 2011 SOFIA paper art fest, National Gallery of Foreign Art, Sofia, BG
2011 SOFIA paper art fest, Alley Gallery, Sofia, BG
2011 CREATION FROM FINGERTIPS, International Contemporary Art-Gwangju Art vision, Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, KR
2010 Gwangju Biennale Maninbo/10000 LIVES+1 IN-YEON and Relationship, Gwangju, KR
2010 Gathering, Wakayama Welfare Center, Wakayama, JP
2010 Korea and China Modern Art, The World Exposition Shanghai CN
2010 Le genie des jardins where artistic works are exhibited in garden, 11th arrondissement, Paris, FR
2010 Invitation to Korea Space Exhibition 2009, Gwangju Design Center, Gwangju, KR
2010 PM 4 of women, Moo-Deung Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwangju, KR
2010 Creation and Circulation, International Environment Art Festival, Gwangju Museum of Art, KR
2008 City, Imagine the design, Korea Space Design Culture Festival 2008, Seoul, KR
2008 Korean Space Design Association2008, Gwangju Design Center, Gwangju, KR
2008 Gwangju Women’s Art Festival, Moo Deung Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwangju, KR
2007 Synchronicity & Harmony, The 1st International Contemporary Art Gwangju Art vision, Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, KR
2006 Reflection: Contemporary Art Invitational, National Taipei University of Arts, TW
2005 Founding Exhibition, Jisan Gallery‐MDMI, Gwangju, KR
2005 BLACK HOLE 2005, GINZA A’S Gallery, Tokyo, JP
2005 Beijing International Art Camp, Suo villge, Beijing, CN
2005 World Museum Culture Expo, KINTEX‐Ilsan, KR
2005 Modern Art Contest, Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall, Gwangju, KR
COLLECTIONS
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, KR , Gwangju Museum of Art, KR, Gwangju Cultural Foundation, KR, Rush Philanthropic Art Foundation, New York, Rush National Contemporary Museum, Sofia, Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul, Jeonnam Museum of Art, KR, Jeollanamdo Provincial Government, KR, among others