Jung Eun Lee is an internationally accomplished interdisciplinary conceptual artist who has studied visual arts at the University of Chicago (MFA).  Her works have been shown nationally and internationally through a wide range of venues, such as museums, galleries, art festivals, symposiums, and alternative non-profit spaces, including the Smart Museum (University of Chicago), Andrew Bae Gallery, Zhou B Art Center, Richard J. Daley Center, and Flatfile photography (Chicago); Greeley Square gallery (New York); the Hunter Museum of American art (Chattanooga); Design Center (Pusan, South Korea); Bing Play Symposium (Stanford University).

Through the process of making objects, installations, sound, video, paintings and drawings, Jung Eun Lee examines the specific interplays and conflicts between the known and unknown, psychological and physical spaces, and human nature/behavior such as autonomous (voluntary) and obligatory (involuntary) normalization. The dichotomy of different cultures, gender, traditions, and different degrees of chance is constantly reexamined and reconfigured in her work process.

Art Description: Kleck II - I, (30-1/2' × 55') x 2, Sumi ink on rice paper Kleck originates from the German word Klecks (meaning 'blot' or 'stain'), a childhood nickname for psychologist Hermann Rorschach, the inventor of the Rorschach Test. 

Kleck II is a new series in the Kleck collection, exploring the concept of 십이장생—a traditional Korean art form once reserved for the nobility, incorporating twelve symbolic elements representing blessings and longevity—and the idea of art as a form of gift-giving. 

Kleck II - I, the latest addition to the series, introduces another layer of reality through color, driven from natural dyes that resemble the hues traditionally used in Korean garment making.

Donated by: Jung Eun Lee

Value: $16,000