Sun Lee

I am an experimental Hanji artist from South Korea, currently pursuing my artistic practice in Sweden. I have developed a new form of art that I call Hanji Painting Lamp, combining traditional Korean paper with light, painting, and sculptural elements.

My work primarily explores the concept of duality as a way of encouraging self-observation. I am interested in how our perception changes depending on what we see, how we see it, and what remains hidden. In my Hanji Painting Lamps, the image transforms when the light is turned on. What appears as one image in darkness can become something entirely different when illuminated. Even with the lamp switched on, the image continues to change according to the intensity and direction of the light. Through this transformation, I explore the idea that nothing is entirely fixed or permanent, and that our perception is constantly shifting.

Hanji is central to this exploration because of its unique qualities. Its translucency allows light to pass through and transform the image, while its strength and flexibility enable me to construct sculptural forms. I combine Hanji with natural and found materials such as dried branches, grasses, and other objects that attract my attention. I also work with dyes, acrylic paint, watercolour, ink, and other materials, allowing the characteristics of each material to contribute to the final work.

Through Hanji Painting Lamp, I seek to create a space where light and darkness, appearance and transformation, and the external and internal can coexist. Rather than presenting a fixed image or meaning, I hope my work can function as a medium for quiet reflection, inviting viewers to observe not only the changing image before them but also their own inner state and the forms of solace they may seek within themselves.