Jaiik Lee
Metal sculptor
Yongin-si, South Korea
Life left in traces of metal
- Jaiik makes metal sculptures inspired by the recognisable Korean moon jar form
- His work celebrates the concept of technique as a means of expression in itself
- He has received multiple awards, among which being a finalist for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in 2023
Jaiik Lee traces his forms to childhood memories of fish in Pohang, an interest that widened into cells and fossils before merging with the moon jar. First trained in metalworking at Hongik University in South Korea, he later studied a more concept-led approach to making at the Rochester Institute of Technology in the USA. Jaiik shapes each piece by hand, leaving every weld mark as a record of the time spent on the work. "To me, these marks resemble the scars, wrinkles and irregular growth patterns found in living organisms. They speak of resilience and survival, reminding us that life is shaped not by perfection, but by continuous change," explains Jaiik. His pieces have been shown in over 200 exhibitions worldwide, and his work Transition I is held in the collection of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea.
INTERVIEW
Around the age of six or seven years old, I lived in Pohang, where I often watched fish in tanks outside sashimi restaurants near the beach. Their forms and textures left a lasting impression on me. That interest widened into cells, organs, plants and fossils as sources of inspiration for living forms. I was drawn to the Full Moon Jar's organic proportions and Korean identity. Rather than reproducing it traditionally, I let living forms meet Korean sensibility to create the Transition series.
In Korea, I developed technical craftsmanship. In the USA, the focus shifted to why a work is made rather than how skilfully it s executed. Through critiques, I realised technique is only a means of expression. My practice now combines Korean craftsmanship with that concept-led approach.
I always ask myself why a form needs to exist, sketch it first, then design it in 3D CAD, although this is only a starting point. In production, I cut, weld and hammer copper repeatedly, embracing tension and unexpected results, rather than the exact plan. I never hide weld marks as they are traces of time, like scars on a living organism.
My studio sits near a forest in Yongin, where I feel nature's rhythms closely, though the surroundings are not direct references in my work. It is a quiet space where I shape copper by hand, away from the space I use for digital design. The dialogue with the material is the most important part of my practice.
Jaiik Lee
Metal sculptor
Yongin-si, South Korea
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Yongin-si, South Korea
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
Korean, English
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