DIREN LEE 디렌리
Is the world I am now looking at real? What did the scene from yesterday’s dream want to say?
What kind of memories or thoughts I had made such an image?
“I dream more vivid dreams than reality, and I remember them all.”
I analyze stories of unconsciousness through dreams beyond self-consciousness, then express the essence of consciousness on canvas.
All the characters in my dream are parts of spiritual energy including anima, animus, and complex. The characters are hugging each other, or being expressed as connected creatures. They seem different but have the meaning of ‘one being’ connected to one another.
My previous works used to concentrate on analyzing inner scars and complex. Those were the times when I looked back on the days and forgave myself for loathing myself. when I couldn’t understand myself, I revealed my inner story by appealing the eyes of the characters and tattoos on the body.
I try to expose and overcome my inner complex through the interpretation of dreams and unconsciousness. My works refer to the journey of time during which I experience mental trauma resulting from failure or humiliation and overcome emotions that led to anxiety. From this point on, my work begins to show a comfortable looking eyes and soft colors.
My works tell the story of overcoming with the sweet and beautiful fruits that we meet only after enduring the time of suffering. This is a new beginning for the work. The pearl is more solid than the fruit and is the next step to the fruits. I chose the pearl as my object in the work because it is a suitable symbol of overcoming and glory created withstanding foreign substances.
Beyond the unconsciousness of individuals, there is also a collective unconscious reflecting the current situation.
The inside of a human being is influenced by the flow of the times. There will be people who share the same kind of trauma. I expressed my desire to convey comfort and warmth to those people by express hugging and making eye contact.
Nationality. Republic of Korea
Education. Bachelor of Textile Art, Hongik University
SOLO EXHIBITION
2021 [Turning Point] Gallery DOO, Seoul, Korea
2020 [Stay with Us] Humax_artroom, Seoul, Korea
2019 [FRUIT] L Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2018 [Disappearing things: 사라지는 것들] YeonWoo Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2017 [Day Dream] Gallery ARTION, Seoul, Korea
[Diren Lee Solo Exhibition] Gallery Wave, Seoul, Korea
[IN LOVE] Gallery MEI, Seoul, Korea
2016 [Diren Lee] J.Hoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2015 [The Memory:기억전] Gallery ARTION, Seoul, Korea
2014 [/DIREN 3’rd Exhibition] Soul ink gallery, Seoul, Korea
2013 [DIREN Exhibition] Cosy Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2012 [DIREN’s first Exhibition] Go south art space, Seoul, Korea
MUSEUM
2021 Voyages to Korea : CONTEMPORARY KOREAN ART] - Tainan Art Museum, Tainan, Taiwan
2018 [Fabricated Desires:조작된 욕망] Kim Jong-bok Art Museum, Daegu, Korea
PROJECT
2021 [신당동 공공미술 예술재생프로젝트] Dasan Children's Park, Seoul, Korea
GROUP EXHIBITION
2022 [DEAR FRIEND] Print Bakery, Seoul, Korea
[Bloom] Place des vosges, Paris, France
[Log and New] NFT Meta, Gallery LAN, Shenzhen, China
[Childhood Memories] Vollery gallery, Dubai, UAE
[Cheongdam-dong Zoo Exhibition] Gallery DOO, Seoul, Korea
[Global song] Tang Contemporary ART, Hong-kong
2021 [back to Work] Waluso Gallery, London, UK
[Vacation:박캉스] Collast, Seoul, Korea
[Encounter] L Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[MERRY Go-Round] THEO Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[happy sunflower: 해피바라기] Collast, Seoul, Korea
[Cheongdam-dong Zoo Exhibition] Gallery DOO, Seoul, Korea
2020 [Christmas crackers] H contemporary Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[Exchange] Dohwa Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[Real & Fantasy]Polestar Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[Happy Painting Exhibition] Mac Gallery. Busan, Korea
[Cheongdam-dong Zoo Exhibition] Gallery DOO, Seoul, Korea
2019 [My Z:IN with Collast] Z:IN, Seoul, Korea
[The Spring Exhibition] Gallery Birch, Seoul, Korea
[HAPPY NEW PIG] Gallery Blossom, Seoul, Korea
2018 [Healing Project] Gallery Young Seoul, Korea
[돌의 문] Gallery HOARD Seoul, Korea
[Cheongdam-dong Zoo Exhibition] Gallery DOO, Seoul, Korea
2017 [Art Museum in the Zoo:동물원 속 미술관] Seoul Grand Park, Seoul, Korea
[FAUNA:동물도감전] Gallery HOARD, Seoul, Korea
[Safety:안부] Palais de Seoul, Seoul, Korea
[LOVE] Wave Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[Artist's Gift ll] Gallery Sein, Seoul, Korea
2016 [Emotion: 희로애락] Gallery ARTION, Seoul, Korea
[KOTRA Art Collaboration] National Assembly Hall, Seoul, Korea
[David Bowie] Yoojin Galle, Busan, Korea
[Korea's Attention 25 Invitation Exhibition] Seojeong Art Center, Seoul, Korea
[Coexistence] KARA’S GALLERY
[6’th Zombie War] Yoojin Galle, Busan, Korea
[ARTIST ROOM] Space NAMU, Seoul, Korea
[The Spring] ARTION Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[Exchange] Soul Ink Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2015 [Money] Gallery Rae, Busan, Korea
[Warm Exhibition] Karas Gallery
[쌍년전] Skunk Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[은혜전] Amado Art, Seoul, Korea
[TOKYO ZOMBIE] Tokyo Block House. Tokyo, Japan
2014 [I Dream] Avenuel Art Hall, Seoul, Korea
[Exchange] Soul Ink Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[Color, Comfort You] Busan Starjade, Busan, Korea
[Itaewon Exhbition] Soul Ink Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[Ladder Battle] Soul Ink Art Gallery
[Robot Exhibition] Heyri Rice Field Art School
2013 [Exchange] Soul Ink Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
[Another Farm. WSB Farm exhibition] Cozy gallery