AACG - Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass

Lee Song Joon

Artist Statement:

The biggest difference in photography from painting is 'reality'. The subject of the picture is fixed by a pixel. Unlike other flat images (pictures), the fixed and printed picture cannot be deformed. Therefore, the strongest confrontational effect that photography gives is 'reality'. However, this reality is broken by the advent of digital photography. Pixels fixed by the instantaneous moment can be freely deformed due to dismantling, reconstruction, and size change. The reality of the picture, which should have been extinguished by these processes, gave rise to another reality. The image of facts reconstructed in the rectangle represents the present (real) beyond the unreal (virtual) image.

This work series expresses ambiguity about the boundary between reality and virtuality through the delivery of virtual images shown in physical space. The focus of my piece is continuing the work of visualizing the changes in pixels with stainless steel balls. It is a projection of 'indefinite continuity' in the work. Since the material I use is stainless steel ball, it may feel cold and hard, but I am continuing this work because I feel pleasure in deal with the physical properties to show the streamlined iron smoothness and warmth. I hope my work will reach the audience with a sense of mystery and surprise.

My main focus of work is showing the continuity of the series with the same theme of 'editing photos', but I will continue to research closely to showing the essence of my work to a more developed and varied appearance. I think it is the emotional movement of the mind that art intends to convey to the public. Before grasping what meaning the artist is trying to convey, I hope to see that the people who see the work feel their own way of interpretation. It is important for me to bring a greater resonance to the viewers of my work and to communicate with the audience through my artwork.

About Lee Song Joon

Artist Lee Song Joon, born in 1982, is a rising sculptor in the field of stainless steel and glass in South Korea. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Wonkwang University in environmental sculpture at the Department of Fine Arts. He then pursued his master’s degree in sculpture at South Korea's most prestigious arts school, Hongik University. He holds a Ph.D in arts and arts content from Chung-Ang University.

His work is represented in many prominent collections like the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Government Art Bank, Shinsegae Department Store Centum City Branch, Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch, Gangwon Design Promotion Center, Asian Artworks, Han River Museum, Goehang Village, Dambit Art Warehouse, STL Global, Ulsan Nam-gu Cultural Center, Gwangmyeong Upcycle Art Center, Jinju Children's Museum, Ulsan Saemigol, Milyang City, Seosan Central Lakeside Sculpture Park, Gwacheon Daegongwon Walking Path, Chunghyun Museum, Green Cross, Ganghwa Namsan Youth Hostel, Seojong Gallery, Art de Bora Gallery, Godo Gallery, Architects601, Public Art, Arts Centerida, and other private collections.

He has been awarded with numerous prizes, the most recent being in December of 2023 at the prestigious art fair Busan International Art Fair (BIAF). Lee Song Joon was chosen as the New Artist for K-ART out of 34 contestants who participated. He has been recognized for his unique and complicated sculptures that have pushed boundaries within his field. The LED lights on the steel balls create reflection and refraction of light where by elements within and around the sculpture pick up the surrounding environment.

Click here for an artist's resume.

Acknowledgment of Gallery:
We are grateful to Ai Bo Gallery, in Rye, New York, for providing the Artist of the Month.