So Youn Lee

So Youn Lee’s (b. 1984) works echo with ethereal entities that merge into a mist of colors, delightful luminosity, and tender edges. Recognized for her ethereal, dream-like aesthetic, Lee’s work evolved from figurative art into her signature art style, which centers around a child-like no-gender character named Mango who embodies, to Lee, the essence of human wonder. The laboring creative process resonates with a way of introspection, and builds the amalgamated realm of fantasy. Inspired by human aspirations, the mystic figures within her pieces embody a spectrum of qualities, from the endearing and angelic to the peculiar and eerie. Her aesthetic is inspired by the break-free spirit of outsider culture, psychology, and kinship with nature, with hints of 90’s subcultures, Danseakhwa, and Abstract Expressionism. In her works, amicable moments unveil the sparkle eyed figures leaning onto each other, resting and comforting, while merging into a psychedelic embodiment. Dreamlike landscapes suggest a life on an extraterrestrial plane, or another dimension, yet abundantly nostalgic. 

Born in South Korea, So Youn Lee lives and works in Los Angeles. She holds a BFA (2012) from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Lee’s works have been exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Manila, London and Paris.