HyunJoung Lee
HyunJoung Lee (b. 1972, Seoul) is a South Korean artist based in Paris, renowned for her ability to blend Korean heritage with contemporary techniques. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Sejong University in Seoul in 1994 and later trained as a goldsmith in France, where she has lived and developed her practice ever since.
Drawing inspiration from nature and personal memories, HyunJoung's work is grounded in traditional Korean materials such as hanji (Korean paper), Chinese ink, and Korean pigments. Her artistic process is both innovative and meditative, transforming rice paper into textured landscapes that evoke the fluidity of mountains, waves, and natural paths. Through meticulous layering and manipulation of the paper's surface, she creates compositions that invite viewers into a contemplative journey, blurring the line between the physical and the spiritual.
HyunJoung’s practice is deeply influenced by her background in Korean culture and her training as a goldsmith. She often incorporates the tactile quality of hanji with refined brushwork, using Chinese ink to define intricate line patterns and Korean pigments to add subtle hues that enhance the paper’s natural texture. This technique results in dynamic, abstract landscapes that resonate with the rhythm of nature, inviting viewers to explore their own inner worlds through the visual metaphor of her art.
In 2017, HyunJoung received the Taylor Prize for Capital Art at the Grand Palais in Paris, a significant recognition of her contributions to contemporary art. Her work has been exhibited internationally, with notable showcases at Asia Now (Paris, 2022), Tokyo Gendai (Tokyo, 2023), KIAF (Seoul, 2023), Art SG (Sinagpore, 2024) and most recently at Art on Paper Brussels (2024). Her pieces have also been featured at respected events like the Salon d'Automne (Paris), Beyond Borders Art Exhibition (Hong Kong), and the International Paper Art Biennale (Shanghai, China).
EDUCATION
BFA in Fine Arts, Sejong University, Seoul, KR
AWARDS
2017 Taylor Prize for Capital Art at the Grand Palais, FR
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Art on Paper Brussels, Brussels, BE
2024 “Ridge lines”, Galerie Sept, Brussels, BE
2023 “Correspondences” Galerie Louis & Sack, Paris, FR
2023 “Infinity Path”, The Columns Gallery, Seoul, KR
2023 “Silence”, The Columns Gallery, Singapore, SG
2020 Mairie de Saint-Mandé, FR
2019 Galerie d'art IDA Médicis, Paris, FR
2018 Galerie Plexus, Montreux, CH
2018 Galerie ArtsKoco, LX
2018 Galerie Entre Deux, Millau, FR
2018 Fondation Taylor, Paris 9eme, FR
2017 Galerie Montparnasse Ville de Paris, FR
2011 Gallery 89, Paris, FR
2007 Ricochet, K.C.P.F. Gallery, Seoul, KR
2004 Korean Craft Promotion Foundation Gallery, Seoul, KR
2000 Voyage de Tahiti, Maison de Tahiti, Paris, FF
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 ART SG, Singapore, SG
2024 Salon du Dessin, Palais Brongniart, Paris, FR
2024 Art Capital, Grand Palais Ephémère, Paris, FR
2024 Asian Spring, Paris, FR
2023 Tokyo Gendai, The Columns Gallery, Yokohama, JP
2023 Kiaf Seoul, The Columns Gallery, Seoul, KR
2023 Art Busan, The Columns Gallery, Busan, KR
2023 Asia Now, Galerie Louis & Sack, Paris, FR
2023 Korea Galleries Art Fair, The Columns Gallery, Seoul, KR
2022 Solid'art, Carreaux du Temple, Paris, FR
2022 Asia Now, Galerie Louis & Sack, Paris, FR
2020 Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK
2019 Art Capital, Grand Palais, Paris, FR
2019 Beyond Borders Art Exhibition, Hong Kong, HK
2019 Salon d'Automne, Paris, FR
2019 Feast on Paper, International Paper Biennale, Shanghai, CN
2018 Frame Art Fair, Basel, CH
2018 Art Capital, Grand Palais, Paris, FR
2017 MAG Salon d’Art Contemporain, Montreux, CH
2017 Art Capital, Grand Palais, Taylor Prize, Paris, FR
2016 Shanghai Art Fair, Shanghai, CN
2015 Salon Art en Capital, Grand Palais, Paris, FR
2013 Reflet, Palais de Tokyo, Paris, FR
2010 Survival Kit Exposition, Gallery AG, Seoul, KR
2010 Art en Capital, Exposition, Grand Palais, Paris, FR