이연석은 회화의 기법에 기반을 두되, 그 형식적 틀을 넘어 회화의 가능성과 경계를 실험한다. 그는 화면을 검게 칠한 뒤, 안료를 덧입히거나 표면을 반복적으로 깎고 다시 덧칠하는 방식으로 화면을 구축한다. 검은 바탕 위의 이미지는 빠르게 그려지고, 곧 사라질 듯 미세한 흔적만을 남긴다. 이 과정은 표면이 균일하게 건조될 때까지 반복되며, 하나의 이미지는 드러나기보다 감춰지고, 쌓이기보다 지워진다. 작가는 단일한 형상을 고정하기보다는 기호가 발생하는 찰나를 추적하고 통제하며, 이로써 회화는 재현의 수단이 아닌, 사라짐과 잔존 사이에 놓인 존재론적 질문의 장으로 확장된다.
이러한 지속적인 삭제 행위는 <Reciter’s Tongue>(2022)에서처럼 화면을 소멸 직전까지 밀어붙이며, 물질적 평면이 붕괴되는 경계에서 부재와 축적이 교차하는 공간을 형성한다. 조각, 채색, 연마의 과정을 거친 화면은 감춰진 기억의 지층으로 변모하고, 이미지는 흐릿하고 반사적인 질감 아래 유예된다. 감상자는 명확히 드러난 형상보다 오히려 숨겨진 흔적에 반응하게 된다. 회화는 더 이상 이미지가 새겨지기를 기다리는 수동적 매체가 아니라, 부정의 행위가 끊임없이 작동하는 능동적인 장으로 재구성된다.
Yonsok Yi’s practice is rooted in painting techniques, while pushing against the limitations of the medium beyond its formal framework. His process begins on a black canvas, upon which pigments are added, scraped, and reapplied in cycles. Images emerge swiftly atop the dark surface, only to fade almost immediately, leaving behind faint traces. This repetitive layering and effacing continues until the surface dries evenly, on which an image is concealed more than revealed, receding more than erected. Yi controls the moment when signs and symbolism emerge and restrains them, thus taking up painting not as a tool of representation, but a site of an ontological inquiry into that which decays and remains.
This act of erasure is especially pronounced in works such as Reciter’s Tongue (2022), where the painted surface is pushed to a physical dissolution. The canvas, subjected to carving, tinting, and abrasion, becomes a layered stratum of memory. Images retained beneath hazy, reflective textures, prompts the viewer to engage less with what is visibly rendered and more with what is obscured. In Lee’s work, painting is no longer a passive support awaiting inscription, but an active field where acts of negation are ceaselessly at play. (text: Whistle)
≤published work≥
2025
2023
2022
2021
2020
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
Liste, Basel, Switzerland, presented by Shower; with Kyungtae Kim, presented by Whistle
Shower, Seoul, Korea, two-person exhibition with Muyeong Kim, “Everyone Else Is Asleep”
Shower, Seoul, Korea, Yonsok Yi solo exhibition, “Eyes Far Lips Act.2 Scene.2”; as part of “Eyes Far Lips Act.2”
Windmill, Seoul, Korea, concert, “Ambassadors”; with Hanjoo Kim, Kitty, Y2K92; as part of “Eyes Far Lips Act.2”
Windmill, Seoul, Korea, Yonsok Yi solo exhibition, “Eyes Far Lips Act.2”
YK Presents, Seoul, Korea, two-person exhibition with Yongjae Lee, “서쪽으로 넘어가는 일 Binary Sunset View”
White Noise, Seoul, Korea, Yonsok Yi solo exhibition, “눈 먼 입 Eyes Far Lips”; curated by Jungmin Cho
Mirrored Sphere, Seoul, Korea, two-person exhibition with Jihyoung Han, “Are We being Good, Ancestors?”
Korea National University of Arts, Seoul, Korea, private presentation with Hanjoo Kim, “a Late Night Special”
Weekend, Seoul, Korea, two-person exhibition with Jaeho Park, “Vera Verto”; curated by Nahyun Kim, Jenny Cho
group & collaborative exhibitions and others
Ewha Womans University Emerson Chapel, Seoul, Korea, performance by Tomyeong Lee, “실습 교생 정원사 The Practicum Garden”; scenography, featuring works
Whistle & Shower, Seoul, Korea, group exhibition, “Rooms of Convergence”
Bio Gallery, Seoul, Korea, Yongjae Lee solo exhibition, “터 Teo”; collaborative participation, featuring works
Seoul National University Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea, group exhibition, “Lost and Found”; collaborative participation in Yongjae Lee’s installation, featuring works
The Preview Seongsu, Soeul, Korea, presented by Shower, with Yelim Ki, Simon Shim-Sutcliffe, Sean Jun Yeon
YK Presents, Seoul, Korea, group exhibition, “2^4”; co-curated with Yongjae Lee; collaborative works with boma pak
Shower, Seoul, Korea, event, “Goodnight”; as part of “New Years at Shower”
Pack, Seoul, Korea, invited by Jaemin Hwang, with Muyeong Kim, Hyunjin Kim, Yongjae Lee, Shampoo
Our Week, Seoul, Korea, presented by Shower
Shower, Seoul, Korea, group exhibition, “Framer”; curated by Leesop Cho
The Preview Seongsu, Seoul, Korea, presented by White Noise, with Gijeong Goo, Kai Oh, Rondi Park
Museumhead, Seoul, Korea, Muyeong Kim solo exhibition, “미간 위 집 House On Glabella”; collaborative participation, featuring works
Perform Collection System, online, performance by Muyeong Kim, “Nimbus”; collaborative participation, featuring works
Figure Ground, Seoul, Korea, research presentation, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good”; invited by Chang Younghae
.
cv
.
bibliography
Jaemin Hwang 황 재민, “눈 먼 자들의 그림”, BIZart, Jan. 17, 2024
Jaemin Hwang 황 재민, “거울의 대사들” “Eyes Far Lips Act.2” exhibition text, Oct 2023
“서쪽으로 넘어가는 일 Binary Sunset View” exhibition catalogue, May 2023
Im Jaehyoung 임 재형, “사이를 위한 글쓰기”, “서쪽으로 넘어가는 일 Binary Sunset View” exhibition review, Jan 2023
Jaemin Hwang 황 재민, “시체를 위한 무대: 《눈 먼 입》에 관하여”, “눈 먼 입 Eyes Far Lips” exhibition text, Oct 2022
Muyeong Kim 김 무영, “a Featurette”, “눈 먼 입 Eyes Far Lips” exhibition text, Oct 2022
Tomyeong Lee 이 토명, “유리 이후", “눈 먼 입 Eyes Far Lips” exhibition text, Oct 2022
Jungmin Cho 조 정민, “눈 먼 입 Eyes Far Lips” exhibition text, Oct 2022
Jaemin Hwang 황 재민, “좋은 아이디어를 위한 절반의 마법”, “Vera Verto” exhibition review, 집단오찬, May. 17, 2020
.