A solo exhibition by artist Lee Kwan-young, who renders human and natural sounds as light sculptures, is running at JN Gallery in Seoul’s Gangnam district until 24 October.
Based on his belief that ‘words have a soul’, Lee Kwan-young has spent more than 20 years giving an enduring presence to sounds that disappear the moment they leave the mouth. The exhibition presents five works that reinterpret voice waveforms extracted from human and natural sounds as light sculptures.
The key works include ‘Stay healthy’, words left to the artist by his ailing mother, and ‘Sound of waves’, recorded at Gangmun beach, whose waves comforted him while he was recuperating in Gangneung after being given 10 years to live as a university student. Also on display are ‘Love’, spoken in the languages of their countries by 14 ambassadors’ wives in South Korea who volunteer with the Korean Red Cross, and ‘I love you’, shared by the artist and his wife as they endured life’s difficulties together. The works range in size from 29cm to 255cm, expressing through light the stories contained in each sound. The artist’s study of meditation is evident in every work.
After graduating from Seoul National University’s business administration department, Lee studied anthropology and developed his interest in art while working at the Samsung Culture Foundation and the Hansol Cultural Foundation. He later began making works himself and embarked on a full-time career as an artist. His work grew out of a fear of death he experienced as a university student. After witnessing the early deaths of his father and a friend, he was himself given 10 years to live with the same illness as his father, prompting his interest in ‘eternity’.
He believes that although words disappear the moment they leave the mouth, they possess the power to convey comfort, love, courage and hope. To capture words and sounds before they vanish, he has continued to visualise sound across a range of media, including sculpture, digital printing, jewellery and video.
He has turned the words and voices of a range of figures into works, including Cardinal Kim Su-hwan’s ‘Love’, G-Dragon’s ‘PEACE MINUS ONE’, former US president Barack Obama’s ‘HOPE’, Audrey Hepburn’s and Marilyn Monroe’s ‘LOVE’, John Lennon’s ‘PEACE’ and Venerable Beopjeong’s ‘Non-possession’. He has also created works incorporating the voices and messages of many people, including ‘Love’, featuring the wives of ambassadors from 14 countries in South Korea; ‘Love’, with 45 participants including Kim Hoon and Yoon Do-hyun as well as members of the public; and ‘Peace’, featuring residents of Busan.
Exhibition and artwork enquiries: JN Gallery (02-511-1397)
[Artwork information]
1. Wives of ambassadors from 14 countries 《Love》, 2026, 3D Printing, resin, LED
In 2016, amid the terrorist attacks in France, the wives of ambassadors from 14 countries in South Korea who were volunteering with the Red Cross spoke the word ‘love’ in their respective languages
Height 50cm; variable width and depth
2. Gangneung 《Sound of waves》, 3D Printing, resin, LED
The sound of waves at Gangmun beach, which the artist visited by bicycle every morning in despair after being given 10 years to live in the spring of his second year at university, before moving to Gangneung after graduation to recuperate for three years
Depth 14 x width 18 x height 255cm
3. Mother 《Stay healthy》, 2026, 3D Printing, resin, LED, Soil, Steel
Words left to the artist by his mother, who is currently living in a care home. Soil from the orchard where his mother farmed throughout her life was brought in and used to cover the work.
Depth 15 x width 27 x height 50 cm
4. Artist and wife 《I love you》, 2026, 3D Printing, resin, LED, Wood
The voices of the country-born artist and his city-born wife, who have often clashed because they are so different
Depth 8 x width 27 x height 29 cm
[Artist profile]
Selected exhibitions and projects
〈Solo exhibitions〉
- 2026, ECHOES, JN Gallery
- 2026, Your Voice?, Sayu Gallery
- 2020, Special exhibition, Hankyoreh Busan International Peace Symposium, Busan APEC Naru Park
- 2016, Special exhibition, G-Seoul International Art Fair, Becoming One Through the Light of Love, Seoul DDP
Special exhibition, Gyeongnam International Art Fair, The Voice of Light Speaks of Love, Changwon Convention Centre
- 2013, Analog Beauty, Gallery Juhae,
- 2011, Cardinal Kim Su-hwan 〈Love〉 Speaks to the Eyes, Peace Gallery
- 2011, The different colors of Love, Lavazza Club
- 2010, Love Speaks to the Eyes, Hyundai Department Store, Samseong-dong
- 2010, Love Speaks to the Eyes, Anjeobin Gallery
- 2009, Artwork commemorating the 100th day of President Obama’s inauguration
〈Group exhibitions〉
- 2026, Namsangol Hanok Village Contemporary Art Exhibition, Namsangol Hanok Village
- 2024, Exhibition of 40 Artists Selected by Four Critics, ST Gallery, Seoul
- 2021/22, K-SCULPTURE Hangang Heung Project, Yeouido/Ttukseom Park, Seoul
- 2018, Gyeongju International Residency ART FESTA, Gyeongju
- 2017, Asia Contemporary Art Show, Conrad Hotel, Hong Kong (art fair)
- 2009, Seogyo Nanjang, Sangsangmadang
- 2008, Art Donation Project – Citizens Meet Artists, Sangsangmadang
- 2008, International Jewellery Design Competition Winners’ Exhibition (former US vice-president Al Gore – Live Earth, special mention), COEX
- 1996, Exhibition of Eight Artists (photography), Gangneung Arts Centre
The Sharing of the Fool Foundation, US Embassy in South Korea, Seongwoo Enterprise, and private collections in Germany, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and elsewhere