Young-sé Lee
(1956)
An artist of Korean origin who was born in 1956 in Seoul, Young-sé Lee (이융세) moved at a very young age to Paris, where he learned the rudiments of painting in the studio of his father, Ungno Lee; he subsequently attended the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and the École des Beaux-Arts.
His work, which is resolutely modern, is rooted in Asiatic tradition. Nature, represented in an informal manner, combines the plant and mineral worlds, and water, earth, and light, and enters into a dialogue with the wealth of the materials and techniques used by the artist.
During his experimentation, Young-sé Lee invented a unique technique that initially consisted of carving abstract motifs on a rough wooden panel. On this template he applied damp and dyed Hanji* paper, which adapted to the shape of the motifs carved on the wood. When it was dry, the artist removed the paper embossed by the shapes and mounted it onto the surface of the work, and repeated the process during the course of the work’s creation. His paper works were painted with natural and subtle pigments from Korea.
The combination of the rough wood, which leaves an imprint on the finesse of the paper, combined with the natural inks, gives his work a harmony that shifts between potency and lightness that invites the viewer to contemplate.
*Traditional Korean Hanji made from mulberry tree bark.
Personal exhibitions
—2024 – “L’Esprit de la terre”, Stream Art Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
2023 – “Le Bruit du Silence (The Sound of Silence)”, Galerie Vazieux, Paris, France
2021 – Solo Show Young-sé Lee, Art Paris, Galerie Vazieux, Paris, France
2019 – “Contemplation”, Galerie Vazieux, Paris, France
2018 – “Young-Sé Lee”, Numaga Gallery, Colombier, Switzerland
2017 – “Park In-Kyung & Young-sé Lee”, Cernuschi Museum, Paris, France
“Jean-Paul Agosti & Young-Sé Lee”, Lee Ungno Museum, Daejon, South Korea
“The Spirit of the Earth”, Thessa Herold Gallery, Paris, France
2016 – “Young-Sé Lee”, Gana Art Forum Space, Seoul, South Korea
2013 – “Altitudes”, (photographs), Galerie Lionelle Courbet, Paris, France
“Les 3 Lee”, (photographs), Thessa Herold Gallery, Paris, France
2012 – “Photographs”, Numaga Gallery, Colombier, Switzerland
2011 – “Photographs”, Galerie Métropolis, Charleville-Mézières, France
“Photographs”, Masan Art Center, Masan, South Korea
2008 – “Young-sé Lee”, Gana Insa Art Center Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2007 Arte Sol Gallery, Solothurn, Switzerland
2006 – Numaga Gallery, Colombier, Switzerland
2002 – Pyo Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2001 – Arlette Gimaray Gallery, Paris, France
2000 – Ardenne Museum, Charleville-Mézières, France
1998 – Arlette Gimaray Gallery, Paris, France
1997 – “Anne Delfieu & Young-Sé Lee”, Gallery 63, Seoul, South Korea
Hyundai Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
1996 – Arlette Gimaray Gallery, Paris, France
1994 – “Art and performance”, Fauba Entreprise, Les Ulis, France
1993 Arlette Gimaray Gallery, Paris, France
1987 – Koryo Gallery, Paris, France
Public exhibitions
—Cernuschi Museum Paris, France
Lee Ungno Museum, Daejon, South Korea
HITE Foundation, Seoul, South Korea Hansol Foundation , Seoul, South Korea
Han lim Museum, Daejon, South Korea Glaxo Laboratory, Paris, France
Colas Company , about the road, France
Groups exhibitions
—2024 Living Paper, Galerie du Monde, Hong Kong
2023 One Week Show, Galerie Vazieux, Paris, France
2023 Kiaf SEOUL with Galerie Vazieux, Seoul, South Korea
2023 Art Busan with Galerie Vazieux, Busan, South Korea
2022 « The 3 Lees », Kiaf SEOUL with Galerie Vazieux, Seoul, South Korea
2021 « Element – Young-se Lee & Youjin Yi », Galerie Vazieux, Paris, France
2021 Asia Now Art Fair with Galerie Vazieux, Paris, France
2020 Art Paris Art Fair with Galerie Vazieux, Grand Palais, Paris, France
2020 Asia Now Art Fair with Galerie Vazieux, Paris, France
2020 « Exils », Galerie Vazieux, Paris, France
2017 « Park In-Kyung & Young-sé Lee », Cernuschi Museum, Paris, France
2017 « Jean-Paul Agosti & Young-Sé Lee », Lee Ungno Museum, Daejeon, South Korea
2016 Art Paris Art Fair with Galerie Thessa Herold, Grand Palais, Paris, France
2015 Art Paris Art Fair with Galerie Thessa Herold, Grand Palais, Paris, France
2014 « Encres », Art Paris Art Fair with Galerie Thessa Herold, Grand Palais, Paris, France
2013 « The 3 Lees », (photographs), Galerie Thessa Herold, Paris, France
Paris Photo with Galerie Thessa Herold, Grand Palais, Paris, France
2012 « Photographies », Galerie Thessa Herold, Paris, France
2007 Strasbourg European Art Fair with Galerie Gimaray, Paris, France
2006 Korean Cultural Center, Paris, France
2006 Art Paris Art Fair with Galerie Gimaray, Grand Palais, Paris, France
2005 Strasbourg European Art Fair with Galerie Gimaray, Strasbourg, France
2005 Calligraphy Biennale, Seoul, South Korea
2004 Art San Francisco with Galerie Pyo, San Francisco, USA
2003 Art Chicago with Galerie Pyo, Chicago, USA
2001 « Grands et Jeunes d’Aujourd’hui », Ecole Nationale des Beaux–Arts, Paris, France
2000 Galerie Gimaray, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
1999 « Hommage à Ung–No Lee », Galerie Gana, Paris, France
1998 « Asian avant–garde », Christie’s, London, UK
1997 Frankfurt International Art Fair, Frankfurt, Germany
1997 « Anne Delfieu & Young-Sé Lee », Galerie 63, Seoul, South Korea
1996 Galerie Hyundai, Seoul, South Korea
1995 Salon international d’art contemporain, Strasbourg, France
1992 « Les piliers de la sagesse », Galerie Gimaray, Paris, France
1990 Galerie Gana, Seoul, South Korea
1987 « Désécritures », Galerie Donguy, Paris, France
