Hyunseok Lee (이현석) at Haein Art Project

Haeinsa Temple is hosting its first contemporary art exhibition, involving 34 artists from 10 countries, to commemorate the millennial anniversary of the Tripitaka Koreana, which UNESCO has designated one of the “most important and most complete corpus of Buddhist doctrinal texts in the world.”

Among the 34 international artist in the exhibition is Hyunseok Lee, who is contributing a 10 minute video work entitled 1,000 years.

Lee Hyun-seok: Still image from 1,000 Years (2011) - 10 minute video work
Lee Hyun-seok: Still image from 1,000 Years (2011) - 10 minute video work

Lee comments:

This artwork, 1,000 years, represents the 1,000 years of the Tripitaka Koreana and the 1,200 years history of the Haeinsa monastery through the digital images artwork in order to deliver the historic and religious meaning of the Tripitaka Koreana and Haeinsa itself.

Particularly, I have focused on exploring the representation of Buddhist philosophical principles and sacred experience by dramatising abstract and surreal environments displaying Korean architecture and the Tripitaka Koreana. This encourages audiences to feel the ‘sacredness’ which is a unique and indigenous form of Korean tradition. The Buddhist style of narration hopefully will evoke a dramatic feeling to explore the holistic passion and pride about the Tripitaka Koreana. The English voiceover also will deliver the deep meaning of the Korean Buddhism to people from all over the world.

This form of art work, using the ‘Animated Spiritual Documentary’ genre, explores the beauty of the physical outlook as well as the metaphysical meaning using the both realistic and surreal expression based on my subjective and artistic interpretation to share the ‘feeling’ with audiences.

通 | 통 | Tong
Date: Sept 23, 2011 – Nov 6, 2011 (45 days)
Organizer: Haein Art Project
Host: Haeinsa Temple
Curators: Yu Yeon Kim(Chief), Jiwoong Yoon
Advisors: Gerardo Mosquera, Martin Brauen
Venue: Haeinsa Temple, Hapcheon, Korea
Haein Art Project: 44-1 Chiin-ri, Gaya, Hapcheon, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, (678-895)
TEL: 055-934-3175 (English); 055-934-3173 (Korean); Fax 055-934-3174
Web: www.haeinart.org Email: pr.haeinart@gmail.com