LEE, GIL-RAE

기간┃2010. 6. 9 (수) - 7. 10 (토)

장소┃사비나미술관 전관·예술의전당 한가람미술관 야외광장

나무, 형상을 구축하다

LEE, GIL-RAE

Cohesion

When I dropped in the studio of Lee Gil-Rae of Goesan in the Chungbuk province in sprinklingspring rain, there were a number of trees standing in the yard a bit disorderly in the rain. Part of themwere so terribly warped and entangled each other that they looked like a transformed and distorted shapeof grappling wrestlers or like the fresh of fowls of which hair were pulled away. Most of the remaining,however, could be called as trees since the trees reached their branches toward the sky though brancheswere very tortuous and rather small. Small wood consisting of his works is opposed to real trees planted inthe yard and seemed to produce subtle harmony and contrast. The 'enchanted wood' in a word is thelandscape produced by the trees, of which stems are overly bloated compared to short branches, placingitself upside down with waist cut off, making a circle regressing toward the earth, uterus for trees, ratherthan vertical growth. Exaggeratingly speaking, it looked like as if I had seen the ecological disaster.

Meaning of the ecological disaster here is that his works are expressing trees but they do not bearslightest resemblance to trees and rather associate with trees which might be grown in the mysterious andsupernatural imaginary forest. His monstrous trees stir up our ominous imagination as if they were newlyemerged plants on Earth after collision with a strange planet or proliferated abnormally by human desire.It also shows that he did not pay much attention to reappearance. Though atypical abstract forms areinterlocking each other, however, it cannot be denied that motifs of his work start from trees. It is alsoworth notice that the pine tree is the model. As pine tree is widely distributed across the country, it hasbeen our most valuable source of building materials and furniture and was once used as an energy forpebble warming. Like this, pine tree has been the most familiar tree to us and has also served as thesymbolic meaning of principle and honor beyond a practical level as a evergreen tree.

Now it is clear that Lee Gil-Rae is creating a pine tree to capture something more than to reproduce theshape of a pine tree. The pine tree means 'cohesion' for him. Meaning of Cohesion is the formation of the

particles to lump together and it is consistent with his methods of creation. He creates the shape of the

pine tree by welding pieces of thin slices of copper pipe. The surface made by tightly weaving these thinslices, which are bigger than rings but much smaller than bracelets, looks like the epidermis of the pinetree cracked like turtle shell. With this epidermis made by connecting rings, his hollow pine tree becomesvery strong. As he puts emphasis on highlighting a lump, it is more important for him to create a similar

solid to tree than to make the tree itself. The trees produced this way do not take roots in the earth buthave a form of surviving independently above the earth. Though it is not a tree thick of needle-like leaves,it would not be hard to associate vitality of the evergreens with this coherent structure.

Accumulated time

Lee Gil-Rae showed me a work just in progress in studio. It has different forms compared to otherworks already completed. He made lots of leaves of conifers with sliced thin copper bar and has pasted

branches with them. This work is similar to reality compared to other works with trunk and branches

Structure of the cohesion , from the pine tree

Choi tae-man (Art critic)

only. Watching the work, I felt as if I had seen a paint of old pine tree. Reproduction is, however, still notpurpose for him. He has used his house, where he once lived with his family, as studio and reading roomand I was able to find an interesting drawing there. A drawing for the leafy pine tree was placed on thewall of studio. Actual form of the work as well as specifications were written down on the drawing.Besides he has already drawn lots of sketches with steel pen. A poet out of this sculptor's juniors stop overthis studio prior to my visit. He wrote an improvised poem then and it was also placed there. I rememberthat Lee Gil-Rae was described as 'an artist painting in the sky with steel pen' in the poem.

Anyway the drawings I saw there proved that his work was not done at his discretion by intuition inthe course of production but was conducted deliberately. That is, the form of his work is determined bythe drawing. The drawing was made with elaborateness and prudence of design drawing's level so theresults can be easily estimated when it is expanded to a three-dimensions. It can be shown from the reliefworks attachable to the wall. One has the co-helical structure like ammonites and the other looks like amountain range with many trunks piled up. There is also a wood captured only trunks of pine tree and allthese are very picturesque though they are sculptors. The structure produced by trunks of trees piled likecrease of the earth implies 'accumulation and continuance of time'. It is also found from the annual ringsexpressed on the part cut off epidermis linked with numerous rings, trunks and branches. The signs couldalso be called as a fingerprint of times.

If so, what Lee Gil-Rae wants to say through these trees. Anyone can see that he is projecting himselfon strength of pine tree. If we are looking beyond that, he might make us aware of the finite of thehuman beings by presenting marks of the accumulated time. His way of doing work looks simple andhonest but it is also an action of accumulation of time and adaptation to passage of time. However, hedoes not simply submit himself to time but looks it back through torpid process. Although his work isfocused on presentation of cohered form itself, it is a matter of our sense to ruminate of life through it.

Graduated from Dept. of Art Education, Kyunghee Univ.M. A. Dept. of Sculpture, Kyunghee Univ.Professor at Kyunghee Univ., College of Art (1994-2003)

SOLO EXHIBITIONS2008 The 6th Solo Exhibition (Savina Museum, Seoul)2007 The 5th Solo Exhibition (Art-space Camerata, Seoul)

Korean Contemporary Art Festival (Seoul Art Center, Hangaram ArtMuseum)

2003 The 4th Solo Exhibition (Galerie Bhak, Seoul)2001 The 3rd Solo Exhibition (Galerie Bhak, Seoul)1997 The 2nd Solo Exhibition (Kum-Ho Museum, Seoul)1991 The 1st Solo Exhibition (Gallery Ye-Hyang, Seoul)

GROUP EXHIBITIONS2010 "Unexpected" (D-art Gallery, Daejeon)2009 "Our Garden", The 5th Open-Air Sculpture Exhibition (Gimhae

Arts and Sports Center, Gimhae)"Cosmetic Jam" (Insa Art Center, Seoul)"New Morning" (Seoul Art Center Gongpyeong Gallery, Seoul)Special Exhibition for the Year of Ox (Jang Eun Sun Gallery, Seoul)

2008 "The party ", C.J.L.L.P.S Sculpture Exhibition (Gallery Kayang,Seoul)"Sehan-Do in My Mind" (Photohouse Gallery, Seoul)Space and Urban Design Exhibition (Old Seoul Station Museum, Seoul)Hwaum Project (Seoul Art Center, Concert Hall, Seoul)"Arts and Play" (Seoul Art Center, Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul)"Creative Mind" (Savina Museum, Seoul)

2007 The Five selected Contemporary Sculptors Exhibition (DaeguGallery Soheon, Daegu)International Sculpture Symposium in Ichon (Ichon Seolbong Park,Ichon)Korea-China-Japan Modern Arts Exhibition (Nowon District office,Seoul)The 1st Open-Air Sculpture Exhibition (Pyramid Square in COEXTrade Center, Seoul)Art-garden (Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul)

2006 Art-park (Seongnam Art Center, Seongnam)2005 Outdoor project "Blue in the stream" (Seongnam Art Center,

Seongnam)"Melting Zone" (Gallery Davinchi, Seoul)

2004 "Should say not all Still Life" (Gana Art Center, Seoul)Outdoor project "Festival" (Sejong Cultural Center, Seoul)"Art & Environment" (Galerie Bhak, Seoul)

2003 40's Artist (Gallery Moro, Seoul)Seoul Auction Fair 2003 (Seoul Auction A+Space, Seoul)Kyunghee Univ. Art Education Exhibition (Gallery Chongro, Seoul)

2002 Invitation Exhibition of Dong-A Art Award (Gallery Sang, Seoul)Kyunghee Sculpture Association Exhibition (Insa Art Plaza, Seoul)Members of Dong-A Artist Association Exhibition (NationalMuseum of Contemporary Art, Kwa Cheon)

"Sculpture and Space" (Korea First Bank, Seoul)2001 Invitation Exhibition of Korean Contemporary Sculpture (Chunchen

MBC, Chunchen)Artists Today (The World Ceramic EXPO Open-air Pavilion, Seoul)"2001 to 2002" Sculpture Exhibition (Gallery lamer, Seoul)

2000 Miami International Art Fair (Galerie Bhak, Miami Beach ConventionCenter, Florida, U.S.A)"Unification 2000" (The National Assembly Building, Seoul)200 Sculptors Invitation Exhibition (Gallery Wing, Seoul)

1999 Invitation Exhibition of Jung-ang Art Award (Hoam Art Museum, Seoul)Invitation Exhibition of Dong-A Art Award (Ilmin Museum of Art, Seoul)San Francisco International Art Fair (Galerie Bhak Fort Mason Center,U.S.A.)

1998 200 sculptors' Artworks Exhibition (Sun Gallery, Seoul)Gak Sculpture Exhibition (Dukwon Gallery, Seoul)"Drawing Crossing" Exhibition (Kumho Museum, Seoul)Pusan International Art Festival (Pusan Museum of Art, Pusan)

1997 International Ceramic Biennalle (Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul)"Breathing of Korean People" Exhibition (Art Hall, Seoul)Invitation Exhibition of Dokushima University (Dokusima UniversityMuseum, Japan)

1996 Members of Dong-A Artist Association Exhibition (National Museum ofContemporary Art, Kwa Cheon)Asia Modern Art Festival (Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul)

1995 Asia Modern Art Festival (Doll Gallery, Seoul)Invitation Exhibition; Young Artist in Korea (Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul)

1994 Members of Dong-A Artist Association Exhibition (National Museum ofContemporary Art, Kwa Cheon) "Finding Han River" (Gallery Jo-Hyung, Seoul) Invitation Exhibition Celebrating the 45th Anniversary of KyungheeUniv. (Seoul Art Hall, Seoul)

AWARDS1995 Special Award in Jung-Ang Biennale1990 Dong-A Art Award in the Dong-Art Festival1989 Special Award in the 8th Great Art Exhibition of Korea1988 Participation Award in the 11th Jung-Ang Greate Art Exhibition1987 Special Award in the 5th Greate Art Exhibition of the youth

PERMANENT COLLECTIONSKwachon National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul Museum of Art, SavinaMuseum of Contemporary Art, Samsung Foundation of Culture, CJ Foundationof Culture, Daegu Health College, Seoul Supreme Prosecutors Office MemorialSculpture, Anseong Memorial Sculpture Park, Yeongdong Sculpture Park, JinhaeJangbok Mountain Park Outdoor Sculpture, Bucheon dodang Park, Seoul HanjinHaemoro, Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Office Building, Seoul MariottHotel, Gapyung Ecopia, Daegu Banwoldang, Moonkyung STX Resort, PohangValueplus

LEE, GIL-RAE

Printed by KC Communications

기간┃2010. 6. 9 (수) - 7. 10 (토)

장소┃사비나미술관 전관·예술의전당 한가람미술관 야외광장

나무, 형상을 구축하다LEE, GIL-RAE

110-240 서울특별시 종로구 안국동 159 TEL.02-736-4371 FAX.02-736-4372

#159, Anguk-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-240, Korea www.savinamuseum.com

110-240 서울특별시 종로구 안국동 159 TEL.02-736-4371 FAX.02-736-4372

#159, Anguk-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-240, Korea www.savinamuseum.com

2010