Jung Tae Lee

Lee Jung-Tae: Capturing the Flow of Time in Nature Through Ultramarine Blue

Artist Lee Jung-Tae captures the passage of time within nature using shades of blue. His themes encompass mountains, seas, the atmosphere, and exploding flowers, vividly depicting landscapes from a distant perspective. Using dots and lines, Lee fuses Eastern and Western painting techniques, presenting a unique visual perspective. His works, reminiscent of pointillism, depict landscapes through variations of dots and lines, providing a distinctive visual language that conveys psychological stability and a meditative feeling to viewers.

"FLUX" represents continuous change and flow, a concept Lee Jung-Tae has centered his work on for over two decades, exploring themes of mountains, seas, the atmosphere, and flowers. Through his landscapes, Lee delicately examines the complex relationships between nature, humanity, and time, quietly reviving the forgotten wonders of nature amidst the hectic lives of modern people. By visually expressing the passage of time, like the changing seasons, he allows viewers to appreciate the preciousness of the present moment and contemplate the interaction between humans and nature.

The artist's preferred color, ultramarine blue, frequently features in his works, capturing our attention. This color, historically used in blue and white porcelain, symbolizes trust and stability. Known for its use in psychological therapy, ultramarine blue provides emotional stability and conveys meditative and spiritual meanings. Through this color, his works leave a deep impression on viewers, enabling them to feel the preciousness of the present moment.

Upon closer inspection, the forms of ultramarine blue reveal white undersides, appearing to rise as if seen from above. This perspective is reminiscent of looking at mountains captured from a drone. In this sense, the mountains resemble blooming flowers. This view, akin to observing from space, leaves a profound and mystical impression, carrying the philosophical message that only the present moment truly exists. Reading the artist's notes placed beside the exhibition pieces will enhance the appreciation of his work.

"Flowers explode. Exploding flowers scatter into a thousand mountains. Flowers expand into landscapes, and landscapes return to flowers. I draw the moonlight and the wind, contemplating flowers as I gaze at the mountains." (Excerpt from Lee Jung-Tae’s artist notes)

Art critic Kim Chan-Dong introduces Lee Jung-Tae’s work as follows:
"His landscapes become an 'objectified landscape,' a symbol. The central part of the symmetrically aligned mountains on all sides shines brightly, like a moment of the Big Bang, as if a flower bud is bursting open. The mountains explode from the universe, blooming like flowers.

Lee Jung-Tae’s work expresses his contemplation and intuition of the universe and the essence of objects through his numerous emotional experiences with the subjects. His works encapsulate a small yet grand universe, condensing the blossoming of space and the flowing of time. His work represents a high-level journey toward a world of profound contemplation, unfolding essential questions about objects, the universe, and humanity."

Lee Jung-Tae graduated from the Department of Western Painting at Seoul National University and has been actively working as a full-time artist for over 20 years. In 2023, he expanded to the United States and has held a total of 37 solo exhibitions across Korea and the US.

*Source: [K-Spirit](http://www.ikoreanspirit.com)*