First Winter In Chicago

By Sangmin Tang Lee

I grew up in South Korea, where homosexuality is framed in the context of fear and ignorance. South Korea tends to stigmatize anything that is “controversial”, and the existence of LGBTQIA+ people is no exception. Most people still believe that the LGBTQIA+ community is an invention of modern Western culture, so they think that Korean LGBTQIA+ people don’t exist. This culture of omission influences not only my practice but also the foundation of my practice. Living in this oppressive environment makes me represent queer existence in Korea directly, in the hope that my work provides the majority of the audience with an opportunity to explore beyond rigid social constructs.

22”x 29" Graphite pencil, acrylic paint on wood panel

Interested in this piece? Reach out to our gallery manager at livinglese@chicagofineartsalon.com .

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