Pine trees boast deep green hues throughout all four seasons, rise straight as if they would never yield to anything, and Koreans have a particular affection for them. Not only pine trees have been a standpoint in Eastern Asian art, literature, religion, folklore, and feng shui, they are also known as a symbol that nourished the Korean people’s soul and spirit.

Lee Gil Rae’s pine trees reflect the strength of an immortal organism that pumps energy from the subterrane and up into the atmosphere; a vision transcending the ways in which we usually view nature and its energy. Collectors worldwide have relished Lee’s art, and his ability to use physical matter as a tool to reveal the dynamic vitality of nature and her organisms.

In presenting “Lee Gil-Rae - Timeless Pine Tree: 千年(천년)”, Opera Gallery wishes to share Lee’s hymns for eternal nature and examine the equilibrium between nature and men.