Falling Petals

Bright orange bodies tumble across a plain beige background, the figures arranged in a simple grid that contrasts with their dynamic poses. They seem to be falling, yet the absence of any background suspends them outside time and space. The title, Falling Petals, links the figures to falling blossoms and the orange color hints at autumn leaves. Does the work suggest that the change of seasons is comparable to the fleetingness of human life? What else do you see in this work?

Lee is a woodcut print artist whose work explores relationships between humanity, spirituality, and the environment. A member of the Minjung art movement of the 1980s, which combined political activism and art to protest the military dictatorship in South Korea, he later moved to a small rice farm in the countryside. His art reflects his life as a Zen (Seon) Buddhist and rice farmer, as well as his position as co-CEO of the non-profit Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM).