Lee shows her illustration work based on the sketches she has done as a result of philosophical thinking process. As Korean folk art paintings portray the simple and unaffected daily lives of ordinary people, her illustrations are distanced from cutting edge styles or trends. Rather, they express shared feeling of camaraderie among people and tend to evoke profound empathy and familiarity in the observer. However, within that ordinariness she suggests the viewer to discover something extraordinary by linking familiar objects with supernatural and philosophical concepts.
At first glance, Lee’s work is straight forward and harmonized with simplified objects drawn with clean and completed lines. With a deeper look, hidden symbols create ambiguity that contrast with the prior perception of the work. Coffee dyed backgrounds suggest subtle and nostalgic calmness while vivid colors spotlight on symbolic objects for emphasis. Empty spaces contrast with crowded repetitive patterns. While its stories are narrative and explanatory with recognizable everyday objects, some remain puzzled and hidden. Undaunted by sorrow and pain hidden underneath, her paintings have an optimistic outlook of life with warm satire.
Lee’s 'Everyday series' works shows that life is full of paradox, but somehow coexists with balance and harmony. As everything under the sun obeys forces of nature and pursues harmony, all aspects of life reflect ordinary people’s lives. Stories told by Lee’s work tell that every part of life is vital in maintaining order and harmony in the world and should be valued.
