The South Korean artist making lamps out of McDonald’s bags
Inspired by Andy Warhol and Ed Ruscha, Gyuhan Lee works between pop culture and traditional craft – as his new solo show in Hong Kong demonstrates
“When I was young, I loved culture and fashion,” says Gyuhan Lee. “My room was full of Nike shoeboxes.” We’re at WOAW Gallery in Wan Chai where the 28-year-old South Korean artist has just opened “Pop Craft Structure”, his first solo show in Hong Kong. “Pop is the main theme of my work,” says Lee. “Craft – as in craftsmanship – is my main process, and structure is the most important element.”
Lee’s work inhabits the space between the functional and the impractical. He was a furniture design major at Kaywon University of Art and Design outside Seoul when he had the idea to upcycle the shoeboxes in his room into a chair. That first piece is on display at WOAW, a striking red and white chair emblazoned with the inescapable swoosh.
Finding his materials in the everyday packaging of mass consumer brands, Lee uses traditional craft techniques – such as Korean papermaking hanji – and draws on architectural inspiration. The series of McDonald’s paper bag lamps originated over the pandemic, when takeaway was pervasive. Crumpled delivery bags were piling up in his workspace. Through carefully ironing the bags and using hanji techniques, Lee created an homage to both South Korea’s traditional lanterns and Isamu Noguchi’s iconic modern takes.
“My work is all straight lines,” says Lee. “The shapes are inspired by architecture.”
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