Lee Bae Issu Du Feu 1g, 2000-2025
Charcoal on panel
190 x 124 cm (74 3/4 x 48 7/8 in) (unframed)
194 x 127,5 cm (76 3/8 x 50 1/4 in) (framed)
194 x 127,5 cm (76 3/8 x 50 1/4 in) (framed)
Issu du feu works are created by aligning hundreds of small chards of charcoal on the panel, which are then grafted and polished. The surface shows wood grain and growth rings made by nature and time, refracting light in various directions and in multiple angles. Evoking a wide range of images in the viewer’s minds, the surface reacts to the entire spectrum of light, from the faintest to the brightest, from clouds passing to shadows thrown by a passing visitor. As the artist has said, “it is a black material that produces light.”
Charcoal has unique meanings in Korean tradition. It is believed that charcoal can dehumidify houses and ward off evil forces. When the first full moon of the lunar calendar rises, people would perform the ritual of “burning the moon house”, setting ablaze a sacred moon structure built up of pine branches. The charcoal carbonized by the burning of pine wood is considered a purifying substance with spiritual implications.
Relatively inexpensive, the medium of charcoal made it possible for Lee Bae to explore various aspects of its materiality. In his artistic practice, the artist who lived in France for an extended period of his life, found a way to connect with his cultural roots.
Charcoal has unique meanings in Korean tradition. It is believed that charcoal can dehumidify houses and ward off evil forces. When the first full moon of the lunar calendar rises, people would perform the ritual of “burning the moon house”, setting ablaze a sacred moon structure built up of pine branches. The charcoal carbonized by the burning of pine wood is considered a purifying substance with spiritual implications.
Relatively inexpensive, the medium of charcoal made it possible for Lee Bae to explore various aspects of its materiality. In his artistic practice, the artist who lived in France for an extended period of his life, found a way to connect with his cultural roots.