Hidden Thread: Miju Lee
SEOJUNG ART is pleased to present Miju Lee’s solo exhibition, Hidden Thread, at its Seoul gallery from March 21 to April 30. Lee consistently investigates everyday life, uncovering hidden clues and exploring possibilities for fresh interpretations. Featuring 20 works including new sculptures and paintings, this exhibition highlights Lee’s distinctive approach to interpreting ordinary experiences and weaving them into coherent narratives.
In Lee’s practice, the everyday transcends mere backdrop. She examines how seemingly insignificant moments accumulate, shaping personal experiences and memories. Subtle instances, such as walking along a beach on a summer night or gently stroking a dog, gradually crystallize into lasting sensory impressions, quietly sustaining our lives. Lee refers to this subtle yet resilient force as “soft power,” emphasizing not grand events or intense emotions, but the accumulation of minor elements that quietly fill daily life. The everyday Lee explores is gentle yet strong, serene yet quietly striving toward a better tomorrow.
The overarching inspiration of this exhibition, as referenced in its Korean title, is 탐구생활(Exploration Journal), a widely known elementary school workbook first published during the summer vacation of 1979. Reflecting the playful and educational spirit of this workbook, Lee playfully rearranges and investigates clues discovered within everyday life, transforming familiar experiences into something unfamiliar, thereby rewriting the ordinary. Beyond simple representation, her practice explores how individual experiences are reshaped within relationships. Lee captures the organic flows created by connections among small entities, ultimately expanding into reflections on intimacy and solidarity. Through fleeting interactions, we continuously discover and reshape each other—a fundamental force that constitutes life itself. The exhibition invites visitors, much like readers of an unfinished notebook, to actively discover and interpret clues within the gallery space, crafting their own narratives.
Upon entering the gallery, visitors encounter sculptural forms expanded from paintings, actively inhabiting the space. Strange sculptures, such as a bloodshot eye or a lit matchstick, evoke peculiar tensions, suggesting narratives that transcend mere objects. These pieces blur the boundary between reality and imagination, prompting visitors to actively explore and reinterpret their surroundings. Deeper within the gallery, the sculpture titled Yeti serves as a pivotal narrative element within Lee’s artistic universe. Extremely introverted yet quietly resilient, Yeti silently observes the unfolding narrative. Rather than merely decorative, Yeti integrates into the interconnected story, linked invisibly like a hidden thread.
The journey expands further on the second floor. Here, the protagonist actively dives into water, merging with various objects. The Yeti encountered earlier has disappeared, yet it metaphorically integrates with the protagonist. Scenes depict multiple girls gently floating upward, defying gravity and joyfully engaging with their environment—symbolizing the transformation and expansion of introverted beings through connections. Visitors experience the artworks and gallery space as if drifting underwater, uncovering fresh perspectives on familiar realities.
Hidden Thread moves from quiet observation toward active participation and interpretation. By highlighting how seemingly trivial moments intertwine into meaningful narratives, Lee illustrates how hidden clues connect like threads. The exhibition encourages visitors to experience exploration, playfulness, solidarity, and transformation, aiming to inspire renewed awareness of hidden possibilities within everyday life.
