[비즈한국] With autumn approaching, why not experience the season early at an art gallery? A solo exhibition by Western-style painter Lee Young-soo, who captures the freshness of nature, will be held from Wednesday the 16th to Saturday, November 9, at Sun Gallery (CEO Won Hye-kyung) in Insa-dong, Seoul.
Under the title 'Natural Image,' artist Lee Young-soo continuously paints in praise of primordial nature. His works capture the fleeting moments of nature, such as forest landscapes reflected in dewdrops on leaves, red fallen leaves and yellow ginkgo leaves covering the streets, and vivid poppy petals swaying in the wind.
The glistening dewdrops on leaves have become a signature of artist Lee Young-soo. The world revealed as the early morning dew reflects the sunlight glows like a jewel, imbued with transcendental beauty and purity. Although the small droplets holding the world within them will eventually vanish, they are more brilliant than anything else in that moment. The artist seeks to capture and preserve that instant. Art critic Kim Yoon-sup described Lee's work as a "kaleidoscopic illusion that captures a fleeting moment containing a microcosm."
New works featuring yellow ginkgo leaves stand out in this exhibition. Each painting of a ginkgo leaf is said to have been completed with tens of thousands of brushstrokes. Despite using acrylic paint on canvas, the colors are remarkably clear and transparent, reminiscent of traditional Korean painting techniques.
While the green of the dewdrops conveys a message of stability and healing, the yellow of the ginkgo leaves brings a bright and positive feeling. Works such as 'Fortune in Ginkgo' and 'Fortune Chair,' which compose ginkgo leaves with elements like balloons (hot air balloons) and benches, offer a sense of novelty and charm.
The artist stated that he created these works with the hope of "providing a brief moment of rest and emotional stability to weary modern people by composing the ginkgo tree—a living fossil where nothing goes to waste—with elements like benches and balloons."
Through the natural moments captured in his paintings, the artist aims to help viewers re-experience the small beauties easily missed in daily life, and to awaken reflections on life and its precious meaning.
Artist Lee Young-soo graduated from Sookmyung Women's University's College of Fine Arts and its graduate school. He has held 37 solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group exhibitions, art fairs, and biennials. He received awards including a selection in the Grand Art Exhibition of Korea and the Outstanding Artist Award at the Korea Figurative Art Exhibition, and served as exhibition director for the Chennai Biennial in India from 2022 to 2024. He is currently the president of the Korea Art Universe Project (KAUP).