Lee Kang Wook’s work begins with the contemplation and exploration of himself. While searching for clues to define him, biology came to his mind. Taking a closer look at cells using a microscope, he was attracted to a microscopic world. From those minuscule existents, he discovered “space”, a new dimension, and realized that microscopic space and macroscopic space are linked with each other.
 
Lee’s painting presents the spectrum of varying and shifting colors, together with geometric forms created as the trace of his action. Here, what we need to focus on are the “layers.” On a pure white canvas that stands out as the beauty of empty space, he places one color and creates semitransparent layers by applying white paint on top of it. Lee constructs his own space through this layering of colors he performs in the process of conceiving the composition of colors to be placed on the canvas. As the layers are accumulated, the boundary that separated a 2D space and a 3D space breaks down.
 
For the artist, the canvas’s flat surface becomes a 3D space in which cells are expanding infinitely in color. In this space, he visualizes complicated, diverse human feelings in shifting colors so that viewers can sense the colors differently depending on how they feel. Just as one individual contains the principle of the universe inside, his abstract painting contains his insights and thoughts about his self in a moderate manner.
 
His ultimate desire is that his painting serves as a medium for us living in this modern era to understand and think about ourselves in our own ways. He hopes that we can look into the universe in us and also reflect on ourselves who are existing in that universe.

C.V

- Selected Solo Exhibitions

2025《1mm Border》, Place C, Gyeongju, South Korea
2024《Shifting Drawing: from Universe》, Gallery Laheen, Seoul, South Korea
2024《Shifting Drawing and Colors》, Jagad Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
2023《Shifting Shapes and Shades》, Gallery Art Nasal, Ulsan, South Korea
2022《Shifting Colors》, Gana Busan, Busan, South Korea
2022《Gleaming in Serenity》, Gallery Peyto, Seoul, South Korea
2021《Shifting Shapes and Shades》, Gallery Lotus, Gwangju, South Korea
2021《Shifting Colors》, The Untitled Void, Seoul, South Korea
2020《Untitled: Frame of Painting》, Gallery Laheen, Seoul, South Korea
2019《Chromatic Network》, Salihara Art Center, Jakarta, Indonesia
2019《Inconspicuous》, Gallery Madison Park, New York, United States
2019《Paradoxical Space and Gestural Colour》, Gallery ArtPalace, Seoul, South Korea
2018《Paradoxical Space and Gestural Colour》, The Cluster Gallery, New York, United States
2018《Gestural Color》, Gallery Laheen, Seoul, South Korea
2017《Abstract, Color and Gesture》, ARARIO Gallery, Cheonan, South Korea
2017《Hidden Perception: The New Painting》, SPACE CAN, Seoul, South Korea
2017《Paradoxical Space: Gestural Abstraction》, Gallery Huue, Singapore
2016《Paradoxical Space: The New World》, ARARIO Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2016《Colour and White》, 63 Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
2014《Invisible Space》, Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2012《Invisible Space》, Asia House, London, United Kingdom
2012《Invisible Space》, Hada Contemporary, London, United Kingdom
2011《Invisible Space》, Gallery Rho, Seoul, South Korea


2002–2025 Solo Exhibitions, 35 times
 

 

- Selected Group Exhibitions

2025《Touch, Grain, Layer》, Gallery Peyto, Seoul, South Korea
2024《Yeongwol Travelogue: Hello + Sky, Earth, Us》, JindalraeJang, Yeongwol, South Korea
2023《Cosmos Chronology》, Institut Français d’Indonésie, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2022《Art Taipei》, World Trade Center, Taipei, Taiwan
2021《Leeum, Meet the Artists》, Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
2020《Memory, Record》, Jeondeungsa Temple, Ganghwa, South Korea
2019《Geometry, Beyond Simplicity》, Museum SAN, Wonju, South Korea
2018《Opening Exhibition of Anseong Art Hall》, Anseong Art Hall, Anseong, South Korea
2017《Korean, Chinese and Japanese Art Exhibition》, Tsukuba Museum of Art, Ibaraki, Japan
2017《Art Basel Hong Kong》, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
2017《Korea International Art Fair (KIAF)》, COEX, Seoul, South Korea
2016《Art Basel Hong Kong》, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
2016《Art Stage》, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2016《Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh》, National Theatre Auditorium, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2016《A Trio Exhibition》, Gallery Happiness of Art, Seoul, South Korea
2016《Korea International Art Fair (KIAF)》, COEX, Seoul, South Korea
2015《Art Stage》, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2015《Touching Moments in Macau》, Insa Art Center, Seoul, South Korea
2015《Beyond the Visible》, Nook Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
2015《Korea International Art Fair (KIAF)》, COEX, Seoul, South Korea


2000–2025 Invited Group Exhibitions, over 400 times
 



- Selected Awards

2003 The 3rd Songeun Grand Art Exhibition, Support Prize
2002 The 24th JoongAng Fine Arts Competition, Grand Prize
2002 The 25th Dong-A Art Festival, Dong-A Art Grand Prize
2001 The 15th National Grand Fine Art Exhibition, Grand Prize




- Selected Collections

Lee's works are in the collections of many museums and institutes, including Ho-am Art Museum, Seoul Museum of Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hyundai Motor Company, and Samsung Hotel, LS Industrial Systems Co. Ltd., LG fashion, KyoWon group, Marriott Hotel, Coreana Cosmetics Co. Ltd, Centum Leaders Mark, City 7 Hotel, etc.