Two Icons - Dong - Jae Lee

The recent works by Dong-Jae Lee in which the vitality contained in the portraits of popular icons (figures) and symbolic meaning of culture are being unfolded express the history of response to the human visual perception and visual phenomenon.

In this Beijing ARTSIDE exhibition, he is reconstructing the images on canvas displayed as a type of public-friendly pop art with the theme of the chosen two icons by focusing on the locality of the capital of China of 'Beijing' and symbolism of Dashanzi 798 Art District.

He is creating original meaning and value through images and symbols in his artistic interpretation of the portrait of Mao Tse-tung who has become a symbolic figure of China, and the visualized images through various objets and the meanings contained within are being expanded in the space.

“The portrait of Mao Tse-tung is already a historic figure expressed through the artworks of numerous artists including Andy Warhol, and it has the feel of having put on another layer of an image of pop-star like Marilyn Monroe on top of the image. This can be linked to the undying affection towards Mao by the Chinese people.
The portrait of Mao was recreated through the objets of Swarovski crystals and yellow stars borrowed from the Chinese national flag, and the canvas has been expressed through the material that contained his identity through the appearance of an icon of the modern art, Damien Hirst", as the artist states.

The strangely peculiar atmosphere of the visual phenomenon of the optical illusion that converted the image of object from the two-dimensional surface to three-dimensional object originates from his delicate and handiwork expression ability. In the recent artworks by Dong-Jae Lee, various and diverse meanings are being expanded through the relation setting of icons by recreating various objets.

In the shapes displayed in his art and materials, the history and symbolism are being recreated through another icon in the visual expression of the essence and appearance of abstract painting.

2009. ARTSIDE