Sunyoung Won Lee
2019 Solo Exhibition
April 24 – May 6, 2019
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 27 2-4pm
Statement
My artwork employs the timeless process of unifying unique material properties and my self. Nearly all my works convey a transcendent simplicity mediated by a Korean-American sensibility. The color nuances and its numerous layers intertwine the concepts of multiplicity and unity, suggesting a universal inseparability between human existence and nature.
In this later stages of my life, it is natural to ponder about this entity called life: what my life has been and what it will become. I have felt a strong connection with the unique handmade paper material called hanji. From the inner bark of the mulberry tree, hanji is born again after death, as a resilient pulp to create this traditional Korean paper which has been used by Korean craftsmen for centuries. The symbolism of hanji is compatible to how my life has been, is, and wi
ll become. Hanji comes from the inner bark of the mulberry tree. Its creation into paper becomes the next natural life cycle of the tree. And its ashes provide nutrients for the next generation of trees. Paper undergoes a rein
carnation as hanji. And hanji paper demonstrates that life can last for eternity.
So I chose hanji as the medium of my recent art works to explore this reincarnation of my life, my emotions and my feelings. One of the rolled hanji papers represents one of my short stories. One of my art works is a composition of many rolled papers, many layers and lines of hanji, representing a collection of my stories. One story could be colorful or joyful, or one story could just feel empty. So hanji represents me: it is me, my life and my art work.
Artist Biography
Sun-Young Won Lee, Ph.D
Retired Professor of the Ohio State University at Lima, Department of Art/Art
Education
Served as a Board of Trustees, Co-chair of Exhibition Committee, and Education
Committee at Art Space/Lima, OH
Born September 17, 1943 Seoul, Korea
Education
1988 Doctor of Philosophy in Art Education,
Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
1970 Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Graphic Art,
Pratt Institute, NY
1967 Master of Art in Western Painting,
Ewha Womans University, Seoul. Korea
1965 Bachelor of Art in Western Painting,
Ewha Womans University, Seoul. Korea
Awards
2005 “The Distinguished Alumni Award” for Teaching and Research in Art
Education, Ewha Girls’ High School, Seoul, Korea
1983 “The Best of Show Award,” Annual Exhibition, Lima Art Association, OH
1967 “Jury-Free (Recommended) Artist Award “(qualified to be selected as a jury),
Annual National Exhibition, Seoul, Korea
1966-63 Special Prize for 4 consecutive years (’66, ’65,’64,’63),
Korean National Art Exhibition, Seoul, Korea
1965 Purchase Award for a permanent collection,
Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
1964 Honorary Prize of Ewha Culture,
Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea,
One Person Exhibitions
2019 Riverside Gallery, Hackensack, NJ (April 24 – May 6)*
1990 Ohio State University-Lima, OH – Paintings and Graphics
1969 Pratt Institute, NY – Paintings and Graphics
2 Person Exhibition
1985 Sun-Young Lee and Bruce Chesser, “Invitational Exhibition”
for the opening of Civic and Convention Center, Lima, OH
Group Exhibitions
2018 Able Fine Art NY Gallery, NY (Dec. 7- 20)*
2015 Nabi Museum of the Arts, Teaneck, NJ
2014 Elga Wimmer-Hyun Contemporary, New York, NY
Sheraton Hotel Convention Gallery, Honolulu, Hawaii
2011 Gallery Maum, New York, NY
2009 Marriott Hotel Convention Gallery, Teaneck, NJ
2005 ArtSpace/Lima, OH – “50th Anniversary Exhibit: Then and Now, for “Best of Show” winners.
Veterans Memorial Civic sand convention Center, Lima, OH
2004 Art Space/Lima, OH
2003 Art Space/Lima, OH – “Asian-American Artist Expression in Art”
1999 Lima Civic and Convention Center, Lima, OH
1998 Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio – “80th Annual Exhibition”
1998 Harima-cho, Japan – “The International Exchange Exhibition”
Midfest International in Middletown, Ohio – “Korean Exhibit”
One Segate Gallery, Toledo, Ohio. “Artists who Teach”
1997 Art Space/Lima – “Abstract Expressionism in North West Ohio“ Alma Gallery, Lima, OH
1996 One Seagate Gallery, Toledo, OH, “Artists who Teach”
1995 Gallery 7000, Chicago, Illinois, “Invitational Exhibition” for the opening Art Space/Lima,OH
1994 Art Space/Lima, OH – ”Korean Artists in Ohio”
1993 Images Gallery, Toledo, OH – “An Exhibitions of Women’s Art” Art Space/Lima, OH
1992 Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH – ”74th Annual Exhibition”
1990 Ohio State University, Columbus, OH – “Faculty Exhibition” Town Square Gallery, Lima, OH
1988 Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH – “Faculty Exhibition”
1986 Korean Cultural Service, LA, CA – “Contemporary Korean Artists in America”
1985 Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH – “67th Annual Exhibition”
1984 Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, OH – “66th Annual Exhibition”
1983 -79 Lima Art Association, Lima, OH – “Annual Exhibition” 1983,1980, 1979
1982 National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, Korea – “Korean Artists Abroad,”
Invitational Exhibition
1982 Lazarus Department Invitational Exhibition, Lima, OH
1970 Seoul, Korea – “Korean Woman Artist”
1967 – 62 Seoul, Korea – “Annual National Art Exhibition,” 1962, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67
1963 – 62 Seoul, Korea – Annual “National Young Artist Exhibition”
Public collections
Ohio State University-Lima, OH
Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea
Samik Piano Corporation, Seoul, Korea
Teaching and academic experience
Professor/lecturer, Department of Art/Art Education, Ohio State University-Lima 1988-99
Lecturer, Department of Art Education, Bowling Green State University, OH. 1987-89
Director, Saturday Art Class & Summer Art Camp, Ohio State University-Lima 1984
Research Assistant, Department of Art Education, Ohio State University,Columbus 1971
Art Teacher, Wapakoneta Public Schools, OH 1980-81
Printmaking Instructor, Lima Art Association, Lima, OH 1978-80
Art Teacher, St. Henry School, Cleveland, OH 1974-75
Guest lecturer
Ewha Womans University, College of Fine Arts, Seoul, Korea 1999
Teacher’s University, Gong-Ju, Korea 1999
National Contemporary Art Museum, Kwa-Chun, Korea 1997
Birmingham Museum Of Art, Birmingham, Alabama 1996.
Curator/ Juror for exhibitions
Curator, ”Asian-American Artist Expression in Art,” Art Space/Lima, OH 2003
Juror, “Once Upon A Sunday Art Festival” Ohio State University-Lima 2001,1993, 1992
Curator, ”Watercolor Society Exhibition” Art Space/Lima, OH 1998
Juror, ” National Scholastic Art Awards” Blufton College, OH 1997,1993,1992
Curator, “International Butterfly Art Project” Ohio State University at Lima 1997
Juror, “Harding County Youth Art Exhibition” Ohio Northern University 1995
Juror, “Ohio Governor’s Art Exhibition” 1995
Curator, ”Invitation Art Exhibition,” Gallery 700, Chicago, Ill. 1994
Curator, “Korean Artists in Ohio Exhibition” and “Korean Art and Heirlooms,” Art Space/Lima, OH 1993-94
Juror, “ Annual Student Art Exhibition,” Ohio Northern University, Ada 1992
Juror, “Ohio Art Teachers’ Art Exhibition,” Memorial Hall, Lima, OH 1989
Publications
Journal of Research in Art and Education, ” Lessons for Teaching Lawrence Alloway’s
Art Criticism,” Seoul, Korea, Vol. 2. 2001
Zohyoung-Kyoyouk, “Criticizing Criticism: Competing Judgments of Leon Golub’s Paintings,” Society for Art Education of Korea, Seoul, Vo1.14. 1998
Zohyoung-Kyoyouk, “The Critical Writings of Robert Pincus-Witten,” Society for Art Education of Korea, Seoul, Vol 3. 1997
Studies in Art Education, The Critical Writings of Robert Pincus-Witten,” Journal of Issues and Research in Art Education, National Art Education Association, Vol. 36 (2).1995
Lessons for Teaching Art Criticism, ”Criticizing Criticism: Competing Judgments of Leon Golub’s Paintings,” Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. 1995
Art Education, ”Professional Criticism: in the Secondary Classroom: Opposing
Judgments of Contemporary Art Enhance the Teaching of Art Criticism, ” Journal of the National Art Education Association, Vol. 46 (3). 1993
Ohio Art Line, ”A Summary for ‘Mentorship in Community-based Advocacy in the Arts,” Ohio Art Education, Vol. 18 (3). 1993
Studies in Art Education, “The Critical Writings of Lawrence Alloway,” Journal of Issues and Research in Art Education, National Art Education Assoc., Vol. 32 (3). 1991
Arts Education Review of Books, ” Donald Kuspit’s the New Subjectivism: Art in the 1980’s.” National Art Education Assoc, Vol. 5 (2). 1990
Ohio Art Line, “Aycock’s Aesthetic Sensibilities Enlighten Audience,” Vo1.14 (15). 1989
Presentations
National Art Education Association Convention presentations (20):
1999 Washington D.C.(2), 1998 Chicago, Ill (4), 1997 New Orleans, Louisiana (3),
1996 San Francisco, Ca (4), 1995 Houston, Texas (1), 1994 Baltimore, Md (2),
1993 Chicago, Ill (2), 1990 Kansas City, Missouri (1), 1989 Washington D.C.(1)
Ohio Art Education Association Convention presentations (16):
1998 Toledo (1), 1997 Dayton (1), 1996 Cleveland (2), 1995 Cincinnati (1),
1994 Columbus (2), 1993 Toledo (2), 1992 Dayton (1), 1991 Cleveland (3),
1990 Cincinnati (2), 1989 Columbus (1)
Seoul National University, College of Medicine Convention presentations (2):
2006 Atlantic City, NJ(1), 2005 Orlando, Florida (1)
Ohio State University-Lma presentations: 1994 (2), 1993 (1)
Coordinator/conductor of workshops and symposium:
Ohio State University-Lima, funded by Northwest Ohio Art Education Association 1996,1994
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 1993
Ohio State University-Lima, funded by an Academic Challenge Grant, College of Education 1991,1989
Professional service:
Art Space/Lima,OH: a Board of Trustees, 1996 – 2007; Co-chair of Exhibition
Committee, 2001- 2007; Education Committee 1996 – 2007
