Ailyn Lee (b.1994, South Korea) is an interdisciplinary artist based in New York. Lee received her MFA in Fine Arts and BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts, New York City. She has exhibited her work at various venues in New York and South Korea, including A.I.R Gallery, Wassaic Project, SVA Chelsea Gallery, SVA Flatiron Gallery, HEREarts Center, and Busan International Art Fair. Lee has completed residencies at Wassaic Project, Kunstraum and Vermont Studio Center.
Thank you for joining us, Ailyn. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am a sculptor and interdisciplinary artist based in New York. Over the past few years, I have been creating theatrical and dreamlike scenes using found objects and stone clay as my primary mediums.
I spent much of my childhood in my grandmother’s antique shop in Busan, South Korea. The store was full of old furniture, mysterious objects and figurative sculptures. It was my sanctuary and playground, where I got immersed in fairy tales and staged theatrical plays using the old furniture and objects that my grandmother had collected.
I now collect objects I find in the different places I visit. By disassembling, painting, and adding stone clay sculptures, I create new forms and stories, giving them new identities and purposes.
When did you first discover Art, or realize you wanted to make it yourself?
I first engaged in art by making small objects in my mother’s sculpture studio. However, it was during high school that I decided to pursue art as a career. Having come to the United States as a Korean international student in ninth grade, the new circumstances and language barriers made me experience intense anxiety and insomnia.
Drawing became a way to relieve my inner turmoil and frustration, and this experience ultimately inspired me to create artwork that reflects my thoughts and experiences.
During my BFA and MFA programs at the School of Visual Arts, I had the opportunity to explore various mediums, such as ceramics, woodcut, video, and performance. These experiences have been crucial in my artistic practice, allowing me to become more interdisciplinary and solidifying my desire to pursue an artistic path professionally.
How has your work evolved over the last few years? Have you made any shifts in media?
Initially, I focused on creating installations and films that immersed viewers in the theatrical and dreamlike spaces I created. While I continue to use these elements in my current practice, I have shifted to smaller-scale mixed media works, primarily using found objects and stone clay.
My work is inspired by moments shared with others, my routines, and the shapes and purposes of the objects themselves. Sometimes, upon seeing certain items in antique shops, I immediately envision the type of work I want to create.
Recently, I found a faucet with a bird-shaped spigot at an antique shop. It inspired a dreamlike scene related to the taxidermied animals I saw at the American Museum of Natural History. I am currently in the process of creating this sculpture and am very excited to see how it transforms into the final piece.
What does “community” mean to you? Does community, art-related or otherwise, influence your work?
In the MFA Fine Arts program at the School of Visual Arts, I met a wonderful community of artists. They gave me the courage to continue my career as an artist and provided valuable feedback as I explored different ideas. Their support and valuable knowledge allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with new mediums and facilities. Visiting their studios and observing their work processes was truly an honor. Even after graduating, seeing their exhibitions and visiting their studios brings me great joy.
Do you have any advice that you would offer to others?
Don’t forget to wear gloves when handling toxic materials.
text & photo courtesy of Ailyn Lee
- Website: http://ailynlee.com/
- Instagram: @ailynlee_
