Known for her intimate and dreamlike paintings, Lee draws heavily from her personal relationships and surroundings, creating a body of work that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.
At the heart of Lee’s artistic practice is her close-knit circle of friends—women who appear time and again in her canvases, their presence both literal and symbolic. These female figures are not merely subjects; they are extensions of Lee herself.
The artist poses a disarmingly simple yet profound question: “What are these girls? Is this me? Or is this just a painting?” With this, she invites viewers to look beyond the surface and consider the shifting boundaries between self and other, between painter and subject.
Her figures, often appearing in groups, seem suspended in shared moments of silence, unity, and introspection, forming a visual language of companionship and emotional vulnerability.
Lee’s work is also profoundly shaped by her upbringing on Jeju Island, a place of natural beauty and stillness that permeates her compositions. Nature, particularly the lush greenery and tranquil atmosphere of her hometown, plays a central role in her storytelling.
Many of her paintings feature urban backdrops softened by thick foliage, where groups of women gather in contemplative, almost sacred, spaces. These scenes evoke a gentle tension between the artificial and the organic, the urban and the idyllic, a reflection of Lee’s internal world.
Her unique visual style, a harmonious blend of soft colour palettes, flowing lines, and tender expression, creates an almost cinematic mood. Each painting feels like a quiet conversation, capturing fleeting emotions and the quiet strength found in female bonds.
Through her work, Lee explores themes of identity, belonging, and emotional intimacy, celebrating the layered, often unspoken connections between women.
Ultimately, Sujin Lee’s art is a meditation on friendship, femininity, and the self. Her ability to blend autobiographical elements with universal themes makes her work resonate on a deeply emotional level.
In closing, 4me4you’s visit to Saatchi Yates offers viewers a rare glimpse into the artist’s inner world, a serene, lush, and introspective space where sisterhood and self-reflection beautifully intertwine.
