Lee Myung-ho solo exhibition at Savina Museum explores nature through canvas

The Savina Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting Lee Myung-ho's "Between or Beyond the Curtain and the Scene" through December 13, featuring works from his "Photography-Act Project" that has spanned 20 years. The exhibition includes the "KIRIBATI" series, which connects environmental issues to local communities in a Pacific island nation threatened by rising sea levels.

While a photograph records the landscape before one's eyes, what is shown and how it is presented ultimately depends on the photographer's choice. Sometimes, a single small intervention can transform an ordinary landscape into a scene with entirely different meaning.

The Savina Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting Lee Myung-ho's solo exhibition, "Between or Beyond the Curtain and the Scene," running until December 13. This exhibition serves as an opportunity to examine the philosophy and production processes embedded in the works, as well as the connectivity between different series, centered around the "Photography-Act Project" the artist has continued since 2004.

Lee Myung-ho has presented a unique working method of installing massive canvases in nature and recording them through photography. In his representative "Tree" series, he places a white canvas behind a tree to separate it from the surrounding landscape, revealing a single tree as if it were the subject of a portrait. Rather than simply photographing nature, he incorporates the act of installing the canvas itself as part of the work, crossing the boundaries between photography, painting, and installation art.

On the second floor of the exhibition hall, visitors can encounter "KIRIBATI," which deals with the relationship between humans and the climate crisis, and "Nothing But," which leaves room for imagination through empty canvases. In particular, "KIRIBATI" is a work where structures were installed and photographed alongside residents in a Pacific island nation threatened by rising sea levels, connecting environmental issues to the lives of local communities.

The third floor introduces "Heritage," which contains the history and memories surrounding the Cercidiphyllum japonicum trees at Deoksugung Palace, as well as the "Tree" series photographed in Jeju. Along with these, a conceptual map organizing the ideas developed by the artist over 20 years and the relationships between the series will be revealed. Visitors can observe not only the completed photographs but also the thought processes and creative methods that led to the birth of the works.

Meanwhile, Gallery Hyundai will also host Lee Myung-ho's solo exhibition "(no)thing" from October 29 to December 20. While the Savina Museum of Contemporary Art illuminates the artist's long-standing world of work and the underlying thoughts, Gallery Hyundai will introduce his artistic evolution focusing on recent new works.

The Savina Museum of Contemporary Art, where the exhibition is held, is open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and is closed every Monday.

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