London Korean Links

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Yeon Lee ‘Re-use Me’ at the Jerwood Space

News of an unusual installation at the Jerwood Space:

Yeon Lee: Re-use me
(curated by Gyeyeon Park)
Project Space, Jerwood Space, 171 Union Street, London, SE1 0LN
Exhibition: 1 March – 6 April 2010
Open: Monday – Friday 9 – 5pm, Saturday 11 – 3pm
Admission: Free

‘Re-use me’ is an installation of new work by Yeon Lee. Made for the project space the work transforms the cafe into a banqueting hall of sorts. The installation consists of a magnificent chandelier of crocheted flowers made of more than two hundred plastic bags from supermarket chains. The inherent irony of a chandelier – signifying wealth, prestige and history – composed of discarded carrier bags – signifying waste and rubbish – is heightened by the neutral and somewhat prosaic context of the Café.

Each element of the three-stage production: plastic bags (material), flowers (intermediary) and a chandelier (artwork) is a huge labour intensive process which builds a work that will exist for a short period of time. This reinforces Lee’s interest in what she describes as ‘ephemeral value caused by temporal demand’ – the short term value of objects that will be discarded shortly after their use.

Yeon Lee (Born in 1976, South Korea) completed her MA in Fine Art at Goldsmiths College, University of London in 2008 after finishing her MFA and BFA in Sculpture at Hong-Ik University, Seoul in 2002 and 1999 respectively. Solo exhibitions include: Cloth Drawing, KUNST FORM, Austria Tirol (2003) and DRAW, PICI Gallery, Seoul (2003). Selected group exhibitions include: Five Years, Sesame Gallery, London (2009), UK’s FUTURE GREATS 08, Salon Gallery, London (2008). Selected Awards include: Danfoss Art Competition – Silver Medal (2008), Jung-ang Art Competition (2000).

Further information: www.yeon-lee.com / www.gyeyeonpark.com

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