John Seung-Hwan Lee
John Seung-Hwan Lee was born in 1987 while his father was studying at University of Texas. After finishing his study, Dr. Lee returned back to Korea with his pregnant wife and son.
Lee spent most of his childhood in South Korea until he started going to high school in Santa Barbara, California in 2002. In 2003, Lee's family besides Lee himself had to leave the United State when Dr. Lee, faculty at Han-Yang University, completed his sabbatical. Lee started practicing independence at Midland School, a college-prep boarding school which relied heavily on self-sufficient, minimal, and outdoor lifestyle as well community compatibility.
At Midland, Lee found and decided to pursue his interest in visual arts at Alfred University. Influenced by the school's educational system and principle, Lee explored from photography and video to graphic design to glass and painting. When he was ten, Lee’s parents sent him to a calligraphy academy for a short while. Although he was too young to appreciate the beauty and force of calligraphy, later when he found attraction for abstract expressionism, Lee realized his earlier practice in calligraphy has always resided subconsciously.
Growing up in South Korea, Lee was always interested in learning Taekwondo, the national sport and very popular among kids. However, despite his wish to learn, Lee could not take lessons because of his struggle against leukemia. When Lee had his first contact with Taekwondo at the age of sixteen, he took it more seriously than he would have when he was younger. His interest in taekwondo expanded to general martial arts in various styles as well as other physical activities such as breakdance.
At Alfred University, Lee started experimenting to combine many different materials he learned and practiced. After his graduation in 2011, Lee moved to New York City in 2011 to continue his experimentation and practice of art as well as to have more exposure to art and culture.
Broken Glass
Glass Dripping
