Nature and realibm of life

by Choi, Byung-Sik / An art critic & a Professor in Kyung-Hee Univ.

  Among the characteristics of arts, we can not deny that there are unlimited, extreme fantasy and hypothesis that human can think of. As Brecht pointed out, "Nothing can disturb the realists, such as Cervantes and Swift in composing a work in which knights fight with windmills and horses construct countries." It does not seem strange to us at all.

  Though art has an instinct of deviating from forms, reality, or facts, it persistently tries to have an access to its original form and is always eager to search for its real form, as well. In the midst of it, all the art activities, thoughts, and methods have been deviated.

  All the doctorines of art, such as imagination, imitation, are based on realism in principle or relativity. In particular, the pursuit for realism of nature has been carred out, in almost absolute type, not only through imitation but also through symbolization, imagination, and hypothesis. J. Reynold said, at the end of 18th century, "Substantially, art I Art is a nature in which human is added." This can be translated into an opening of another actuality through imagination and hypothesis.

  In this respect, the concept of realism can be understood not merely with restricted meaning, but also with broad meaning of realism, as well. More over various styles of realism which has developed in the 20th century after Courbet, Gustav, did not simply stay in the stage of sketching the objects but developed various types of ideology, endless imagination, and hypothesis which the painter intends to express, by the use of the most universal and original ways of expression, composition of subject matters.

  Almost for 15 years, Lee Young-Hee has been consistent in sketching realism with the sections of wood, and now he is gradually interested in the natural objects, such as rocks or stones in the valley. Though this seems to be only the repetition of simple depiction, his immanent graphic characters can be divided into three stages.

  The first stage: As represented in the work of the prize-winner in the public contest by Mok-Woo-Hwoi in 1975, he was filled with simple but persistent realism-in other word-phenomenal drawing-trying to depict realistically the sections of wood.

  The second stage: Three years later, in 1978, he began to draw various types of quadrangular timbers which were cut and sawn with artificial saw-blades and began to produce three dimensional, extremely cold but dense works. This style of his work continued till 1988, thoroughly excluding strong tendency of his contemporaries, and secured only his consistent and unique space. In a sense his absorption in the wood for the last 10 years has helped to build in most reality, but in a broad sense, we can feel the nuance of lyricism or nature in which Korean nationality and realism flows.

  The third stage: In 1989, his objects were advanced from the above mentioned restricted wood objects, (as J. Reynolds said, "Substantially, art is not so much the imitation of nature as expansion of her."), to the broad objects, such as trees and valleys, and at last he didn't stay in the realism itself, but began to take shape the third imagination and hypothetical image. As Lee, Young-Hee, himself said, "I have tried to express a section of life with the sections of wood in my works." His so many wood drawings do not as much mean only one dimensional objects as symbolize the accumulation of his life. Now on the basis of accumulation as an "Existing Phenomenon", he Pursues imagination and hypothesis of recognition which is Depaysement full of his own nature. Transformed not only into " Subsisting Objects", but into "Confirmed Phenomenon", partial factuality and a part shaded with illusionary blue-purple color have been molded in the type of simulta neite and finally announced another dimension that is quite different from the lyrical realism we have seen so far.

  In his vision, the common characteristics of rocks in the valley, wood are being reflected, without being distorted from its originality, as a social phenomenon which is anther importance of art.

  The first exhibition of Lee, Young-Hee's, we can find mostly a series of variable phenomena based on his 10 years persistent factuality which happens to appear recently. In the wave of innumerable risings and disappearings of modern thoughts, he fills mirror-like life-drawing in his words which we can find in any other painter. He probably tries to express himself through purple-blue shade of valleys or the sections of square timbers.

  At the same tine, breaking his 15 years silence, he seems to change and take shape "The 2nd Monad" which we can read in many of drawings.