b. 1956, South Korea

Lee Choun Hwan Biography

Lee Choun Hwan is a Korean contemporary artist recognised for his meditative paintings of mountains and abstracted landscapes.

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Early Years

Born and raised in the island of Wando, Lee learned ink calligraphy from his grandfather and went on to create ink and wash paintings.

Lee Choun Hwan Artworks

The landscape of Wando and, by extension, South Korea is a key subject in Lee Choun Hwan's work. Initially working in traditional ink and wash paintings, Lee has increasingly produced acrylic paintings and multimedia works on canvas, using stone powders, paint, and hanji or Korean paper.

The Mood of the Mountains

Often horizontal in orientation, 'The Mood of the Mountains' series depicts well-known mountains in South Korea that the artist himself has climbed. Vertical strokes of acrylic make up the mountain ridges, which fade into lighter shades as they recede into the distance; the undisrupted colour gradient creates evocative and contemplative landscapes. Lee has also incorporated stone powders and hanji into his paintings, adding densely packed textures to works such as The Mood of the Mountain #427 and #558 (both 2021).

The Moon Jar

'The Moon Jar' series of paintings revolves around the eponymous Korean porcelain that was produced during the Joseon period (1392–1910). Named after its round shape, the porcelain has become a symbol of traditional Korean aesthetics for its simple elegance and lack of decoration and is associated with the virtue of moderation valued among the Korean literati.

In Lee's paintings, the white shape of the moon jar sometimes appears under moonlight and with plum flowers, another culturally potent symbol, connoting spring. While reflective of his longstanding engagement with traditional Korean motifs, the Moon Jar paintings also demonstrate Lee's exploration of form, surface, and colour. The artist contrasts the smooth surface of the moon jar with layered dots of paint in the background of works such as The Moon Jar #186 (2018); in The Moon Jar #811 (2022), he uses short, horizontal strokes of white over dots of vivid colours to create the porcelain.

Light+Grain

Form becomes increasingly abstract in the 'Light+Grain' series, in which Lee builds up on strokes of paint in the obangsaek or five traditional Korean colours of white, yellow, red, blue, and black, and paints over them further in a gradient of two to three colours. The underlying colours remain visible in the resulting paintings, such as Light+Grain #206 or #525 (both 2020). The series was inspired by one night in 1989, when Lee observed the moonlight reflecting off the rocks and the waves in his hometown of Wando.

Exhibitions

Lee Choun Hwan has shown his work in both solo and group exhibitions.

Seojung Art Center in Seoul has organised several solo exhibitions of Lee's work outside Korea, among them Rooted Island, Saatchi Gallery, London (2022); BUKHANSAN, Chelsea, New York (2021); and Windy Days: Seo Jung, Art Mora, Ridgefield Park, New Jersey (2021).

Selected solo exhibitions include The Sound of Nature, Seojung Art Center (2021); Crossing a River, Light & Grain, Superior Gallery (2019); Lee Choun Hwan, Yoon Dang Art Hall (2017); and Breath of Nature, Gallery Larmer (2007), in Seoul.

Website

Lee Choun Hwan's website can be found here.

Sherry Paik | Ocula | 2022

Lee Choun Hwan
featured artworks

사유 思惟 by Lee Choun Hwan contemporary artwork painting, mixed media
Lee Choun Hwan 사유 思惟, 2024 Mixed media on canvas
116.8 x 80.3 cm
SEOJUNG ART
사유 思惟 by Lee Choun Hwan contemporary artwork painting, mixed media
Lee Choun Hwan 사유 思惟, 2024 Mixed media on canvas
116.8 x 80.3 cm
SEOJUNG ART
사유 思惟 by Lee Choun Hwan contemporary artwork painting
Lee Choun Hwan 사유 思惟, 2024 Mixed media on canvas
162.2 x 130.3 cm
SEOJUNG ART
사유 思惟 by Lee Choun Hwan contemporary artwork painting
Lee Choun Hwan 사유 思惟, 2023 Mixed media on canvas
90.9 x 72.7 cm
SEOJUNG ART
사유 思惟 by Lee Choun Hwan contemporary artwork painting, mixed media
Lee Choun Hwan 사유 思惟, 2024 Mixed media on canvas
162.2 x 130.3 cm
SEOJUNG ART
The Mood of Mountain #1507 by Lee Choun Hwan contemporary artwork painting
Lee Choun Hwan The Mood of Mountain #1507, 2023 Mixed media on canvas
80.3 x 116.8 cm
Sold
SEOJUNG ART
The Mood of Mountain #1582 by Lee Choun Hwan contemporary artwork works on paper, sculpture, photography, print
Lee Choun Hwan The Mood of Mountain #1582, 2023 Mixed media on canvas
80.3 x 116.8 cm
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SEOJUNG ART

Lee Choun Hwan
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