Still Present Pasts

DoKyun Lee

Sculpture

"My artistic goal is to be a bridge between the traditional and contemporary art world both conceptually and technically. . . . I want to make art which can convey a universal idea, which devises a new social contract with my audience. . .

"Most of my current work criticizes industrialism and capitalism. These technological and social systems have improved life for many societies. They are also controlling, numbing and anesthetic. Through my work, I hope to bring awareness of humanism and balance instead of being a slave to technological and social systems.

"I was born in the Republic of Korea and lived there for 29 years until I finished my military service. . . . My father was a political leader who was against the military government. He spent 15 years in jail as a political prisoner. In the middle of the political chaos, I grew up as a person who was trained to follow traditional Confucianism within the MTV culture. . . .

"The history of ancient Greek mythology, Renaissance sculpture, and Eastern Asian philosophical thought has greatly influenced my work. . . . Finding common codes among different cultures and devising my own social contract for this society are the concepts I am conveying through my art work.

"I am not of the generation that has memories of the Korean War but I am of the post-war generation which inherits the legacy of that war. . . . As a witness of continuing historical tragedy I want to strike a balance between the modern western influences and the valuable traditions of the past to achieve social justice."