Lee-In was born in Seoul in 1959 and earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts from DongGuk University. With an understanding inherited from his father, a stone collector, Lee-in observes the world by reflecting on humankind’s relationship with stones. Absorbing from his experiences of traveling around world, he is fascinated by the formations of nature and the accumulations of culture, resulting in the transcendental power in his work.

For Lee-In, one of the ways to approach nature is through experimenting with material properties. He works with Korean traditional painting materials such as hanji (handmade paper) and meok (ink stick) to establish an empathetic relationship with the object. In his Stonescape series (2012), the recurring stone images link to his memories of his father. He sometimes tries to bring in clay, acrylic paint, or chalk to create its tactile quality, and further enhances it through techniques such as scratching and rubbing. The minimalist monochrome helps us to experience the trace of time and return to the innermost realm of spirit. This motif has multiple meanings. It serves simultaneously as a symbol denoting the artist’s cultural roots, and a parameter that has a reflexive relationship with the spectator. 

The cultural implications of black ink continue in his Black, Something series (2017). By incorporating mythic symbols and inscriptions, he blurs the boundary between drawing and inscribing, so as to help the audience achieve the practice of dokhwa (painting reading). This can be read in parallel with his collaborations with poets, novelists, and craftsmen. This inter-textual cooperation opens up other dimensions and possibilities for interpreting art.    

Lee-In’s paintings have been exhibited in the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (2003); the Chicago Art Fair (2003); the Gwangju National Museum (2013), and many others. His work is included in the collections of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Seoul, and the Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art. He lives and works in Seoul.

XJY