Glimpse (Unspoken Series) - Rebecca Yunjeong Lee
Glimpse, (Unspoken Series), mixed media, Rebecca Yunjeong Lee
Despite the efforts of progressive movements and groups, such as the Guerrilla Girls (an anonymous group of feminists advocating for equal gender representation within the art word), gender inequality still persists within the realm of professional art. According to the New York Times, only 11% of art acquired by museums were by artists who identified as women. This statistic serves to display the enduring underrepresentation of women within the professional art sphere.
This article aims to contribute to the representation of artists who identify as women by spotlighting a brilliant female artist, Rebecca Yunjeong Lee.
Yunjeong , a Korean born artist, has had her work displayed in solo and group exhibitions primarily within South Korea, the UK, and the United States. After starting her artistic journey at the age of 17, Yeonjung graduated with a BA in Fine Arts at Saint Martins University in London. Yunjeong utilizes a variety of materials and media, such as acrylics and digital applications, within her captivating work in order fully portray her raw emotions through a unique lens. The aim of Yunjeong’s work is to communicate true and vulnerable sentiments of anger, pain, and trauma to her audience in order to create a connection of sympathy and consolation.
“I hope I can be able to speak our true emotions and pain through my work while also helping them and myself move forward.”
Glimpse, from the Unspoken Series, delicately displays the invisible boundary between society and personal space. The visible brush strokes throughout the entire piece display this sentiment of being displaced within realities (the societal and personal realities) as the subject lacks clear linear definition. This lack of definition emphasizes the impact such a displacement between society and personal space can have on one’s own identity, because just as the image is unclear, one may not have a clear definition of their own identity. Through the use of acrylics and digital applications, Yunjeong portrays herself—the subject— within Glimpse as becoming one with the painting through creating a focus on the background lighting and shadows. This depiction is achieved through the process of exaggerating the colors and shadows in order to subtly blend the subject and the background into one.
Yunjeong additionally uses settings as inspiration for her pieces. Within the Unspoken Series, various depictions of the interior of a home are displayed. This extremely vulnerable setting—home— serves to further emphasize the blurred lines between the realities of society and personal space as the perception of oneself can become lost between the expanse of these two entities. Yunjeong sees “home” as the boundary between personal space and society as within a “home” is where one finds themselves the most vulnerable and true, blending the lines of identity. The solitude of the subject displayed within Glimpse represents Yunjeong’s own struggle with feelings of isolation throughout her life. Yet, through this depiction of solitude Yunjeong aims to connect and console her audience by displaying that isolation is a universal human experience which is a part of one’s journey.
Yunjeong’s display of vulnerability within Glimpse and the Unspoken Series, serves to clearly build upon her own strength as her perseverance through difficult experiences is used as a conduit to connecting and aiding her audience. Within her exhibitions, Yunjeong receives gratitude for daring to connect with her audience through sentiments of vulnerability from her exhibition viewers.
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Through the works of persistent and determined artists who identify as women—such a Yunjeong— gender equality within the realm of professional art will continue to be advocated for as long as enduring voices refuse to be ignored.