Introduction to Jae-Hyo Lee and Jong-Rye Cha

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(image taken from Jae Hyo Lee's website)

wood

320cm x 100cm x 320cm

2006

Though I have not yet seen a Jae-Hyo Lee sculpture in person, I've been very intrigued with what I have seen on-line. And though nothing beats being in the presence of art to get a real sense for what it is and how you relate to it, this YouTube video that I recently came across is a great introduction to his work, full of wonderful information about his art, inspiration, process, and history.

(I recommend clicking on the YouTube tab at the bottom right to view the video better)

My favorite part of the video is when he talks about how hard it was to become an established artist and make a living from art alone. Even after he won a prestigious art prize, he still went five years without a single sale. It was also interesting to see the really inspired ephemeral work he did during a residency at the Vermont Studio Center - it shows a remarkable talent to work with nature, and the most minimal resources, to create great art.


I also learned from the video that Jae-Hyo's wife is also a very talented sculptor who works with wood, Jong-Rye Cha. It is really amazing work but, unfortunately, there seems to be a problem with her website so that I could only view the thumbnail sized images. Still, what I can see is spectacular. Though I really hate writing about something from internet images alone, I think this is a justifiable exception. I pray that I'll soon come across their work in person and can then write about the experience to make up for this insufficient introduction.

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(image taken from this site)

wood

Jong-Rye Cha