Lee Bae
South Korea
1956
Lee Bae was born in Cheongdo, South Korea, in 1956. He earned his BFA and MFA from the Department of Fine Arts at Hongik University in Seoul in 1981 and 1986, respectively.
Focused on monochromatic practice, he explores the artistic expression of black, blurring the boundaries between drawing, painting, sculpture, and installation to develop a distinct abstract aesthetic. Working with charcoal—a medium that embodies the metaphor of life’s cycle—he created mosaic-like collages of charred wood and carbonized trunk sculptures prior to the early 2000s. Later transitioning to carbon black (a soot-like substance), his recent works capture spontaneous gestures using charcoal ink on canvas and paper, documenting movement and the passage of time.
Lee Bae’s practice has garnered international acclaim, with solo exhibitions at institutions worldwide, including the Phi Foundation (Montreal), Indang Museum (Daegu), Wilmotte Foundation (Venice), Fondation Maeght (Saint-Paul de Vence), and Musée Guimet (Paris). His works are held in major public collections globally, such as the National Museum of Contemporary Art (MMCA, Gwacheon), Seoul Museum of Art, Leeum-Samsung Museum of Art, Musée Cernuschi (Paris), and Deji Art Museum (Nanjing).
