Lee Seohyeong, Former CEO of Kumho Petrochemical
Solo Exhibition on the Theme of "Mixing" After 15 Years
A New Challenge Through "Media Art"
"I Want to Create a Model for the Fusion of Art and Business"
At the Seoul Dongduk Art Gallery, where the solo exhibition "Mixing, The Aesthetics of Long Waiting, and Nongak" is being held, artist Leeji (eg, real name Lee Seohyeong) expressed this sentiment. Communication has always been a virtue he emphasized, even during his time as CEO of Kumho Petrochemical and other companies. His belief that "communication through mutual prosperity leads to trust" has now extended beyond the business realm and into the world of art.
At the Seoul Dongduk Art Gallery, where the solo exhibition "Mixing, The Aesthetics of Long Waiting, and Nongak" is being held, artist Lee Seohyeong (real name Lee Seohyeong) is explaining his work. Photo by Seo Mideum
This is his third solo exhibition and the first in 15 years. After stepping down from his seven-year tenure as CEO of Kumho Construction in 2002, he transferred as a third-year student to the Department of Painting at Yongin University, subsequently holding solo exhibitions in 2007 and 2010. The aesthetics of "mixing" once again run through this exhibition. While his second exhibition in 2010 highlighted mixing through the Salpuri dance, this time he pursues the fusion of multiculturalism, multi-generational perspectives, and diverse experiences by letting paint flow and mix naturally on the canvas.
Most of the works on display were created in 2009. These pieces were crafted with great dedication the year after he graduated from the Graduate School of Fine Arts at Yongin University (2008). When he returned as CEO of Kumho Petrochemical from 2010 to 2013, these works were set aside, but now, they are finally being revealed to the world. Last year, while spending time with his grandson, he had the opportunity to introduce his work to him, which became the catalyst for holding his third solo exhibition after 15 years.
The works depict the beauty of harmony and coexistence through the natural mixing of paint on canvas. The layered clashes of color express a tactile beauty that goes beyond the visual. Art critic Kim Sangcheol interpreted, "The artist's worldview, which values patience and introspection over immediate results, is expressed on the canvas through the accumulation of intention and chance, humanity and nature, and countless layers of time."
On the afternoon of the 11th, a Nongak performance was held throughout the Insadong area as part of the solo exhibition "The Aesthetics of Mixed Long Waiting and Nongak." Photo by Seo Mideum
A noteworthy aspect of his work is "Nongak." The artist regards Nongak as the foundation of Korean life and a symbol of communal energy. On the 11th, in the plaza in front of the exhibition hall in Insadong, Nongak performers staged a performance leaving footprints on the ground. This visualized the narrative of the Korean people from an agrarian to an industrial society through Nongak, and this process is being produced as media art content, scheduled to be released around September.
Media art is the artistic genre that will succeed his painting practice in the future. At the age of 81, the artist stated, "Creating paintings has become too difficult. From now on, as an artist, planner, and philosopher, I will pursue the fusion of art and business through media art." This is a new challenge that goes beyond simple creation, embodying his desire to generate social value through art. Recently, he established a corporation called "Leeji Arte," and remarked, "If Nam June Paik opened the era of video art, now is the era of media art." He added, "I intend to introduce media art imbued with Korean values to the world," and emphasized, "I aim to create new models and examples by merging art and business."
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