In the realm of contemporary art, Jiyong Lee’s Segmentation series stands as a testament to the beauty of biological processes transformed into visual poetry. Each piece in this series is a meticulous orchestration of glass, embodying the essence of cellular division. The artist’s fascination with the science of life is palpable, as he manipulates the glass to mirror the journey from a single cell to a complex organism. His works are not just sculptures but narratives of life’s inception, with each cut, lamination, and polish narrating the silent yet profound story of our biological beginnings.
Lee’s sculptures are a bridge between the known and the unknown, the visible and the invisible. The translucent quality of the glass represents the enigmatic nature of life’s blueprint, while the geometric forms echo the fundamental structures of existence. As light filters through the segmented creations, it casts a myriad of reflections, much like life’s unpredictable outcomes. The Segmentation series is a dialogue between art and science, a fusion that invites viewers to contemplate the complexity hidden within the simplicity of life’s core elements.
The segmentation series is inspired by my fascination with the science of cell, its division, and the journey of growth that starts from a single cell and goes through a million divisions to become a life. I work with glass that has transparency and translucency, two qualities that serve as perfect metaphors for what is known and unknown about life science. The segmented, geometrical forms of my work represent cells, embryos, biological and molecular structures – each symbolizing the building blocks of life as well as the starting point of life. The uniquely refined translucent glass surfaces suggest the mysterious qualities of cells and, on a larger scale, the cloudiness of their futures.
Jiyong Lee
More info: Website, Artsy (h/t: Colossal).
