Jeju Artist Series: The First Artist, Jung-seob Lee (1916~1956)

As a student aspiring to major in art, I have always enjoyed studying, observing, and analyzing artists. After I began attending a school in Jeju Island, visiting galleries of Jeju artists or of artworks produced with Jeju-related themes became a part of my weekend routine.

The first Jeju artist that I encountered during my gallery visits that I would like to introduce is Jung-seob Lee.

Among his brilliant works, the one that deeply impressed me was Lee’s White Ox (1954). The powerful brush touches reminded me of those of Korean traditional thick brushes. Lee had majored in fine art in Japan, but White Ox and many other works by Lee demonstrated that he had mastery of both western and Asian arts.

I found the ox in the painting with resilient spirit. After discovering White Ox, I read journals of art critics on Jung-seob Lee’s artworks. I came to find that Lee began painting this masterpiece during his high school years as an attempt to rebel against the Japanese who ruled Korea (1910-1945). Lee thought the ox resembled the resilient and persistent spirit of Koreans, eager to gain independence. It is truly inspiring how Lee succeeded in delivering strong yet encouraging energy through his artworks to someone like me who didn’t have any prior knowledge regarding the historical backgrounds of his artworks.

Another artwork that caught my attention was his paintings of the theme ‘family’—he produced many paintings of his wife and children.

What is unique in these paintings is that all the family members are included and appear to be happy, as they are “entangled” and closely interconnected. This connection reminded me of Korean traditional philosophical themes such as fate and affinity.

As Jung-seob Lee produced beautiful artworks while he was residing in Jeju during the Korean War as a place of refuge, the Jeju City government transformed this location into Jung Seob Lee Gallery. It is now one of the major tourist attractions in Jeju Island.

Jung-seob Lee inspired me greatly, with an enlightenment that artworks can speak for themselves beyond the boundaries of time and places.