Spotlight: Sun Lee

What is the artist’s favorite food?

Sun: Hamburgers. I like them because they’re made by my dad.

Mother: He really loves his dad, so he likes anything his dad makes. Recently, his dad opened a handmade burger restaurant. Almost every day, Sun texts his dad to place an order, and when his dad comes home from work, he brings it back for him. I think he chose hamburgers because of this situation and his good relationship with his dad.

What is a memorable place the artist has traveled to or visited?

Sun: Daegwallyeong. It was nice because it’s a good place to relax.

Mother: We all prefer travel destinations with a quiet natural environment. Since he was young, we often took him to natural recreation forests, the woods in Jirisan, and traditional heated rooms in the forests of Gangwon-do. I think his tastes grew to resemble ours. When I asked him why he liked Daegwallyeong, he said it was because he liked being warmed up and cozy.

Which season does the artist like the most?

Sun: Summer. I like it because the sun shines brightly.

Mother: He likes snorkeling. In the summer, he can enjoy swimming and snorkeling in the sea, so I think that’s why he likes it. This summer vacation was too short, and Sun had a lot on his schedule, so we couldn’t go yet. Reading this answer makes me feel we should hurry and go before the hot weather is gone.

What activities or hobbies does the artist enjoy in his free time?

Sun: Drawing, watching movies, listening to music, and playing Nintendo games (Zelda).

Mother: He draws whenever he has time. He always carries a pencil and paper, plays music on his phone, and keeps drawing what he loves. Other than that, he enjoys watching “Legend of Zelda” gameplay videos on YouTube or playing the game himself.

What way of working is the most fun and interesting when making artwork?

Sun: Coloring with my fingers. I like the soft texture.

Mother: He enjoys painting with his fingers. He likes the feeling of squeezing paint onto his fingers or directly onto the canvas and smearing it, and he also enjoys the expressions that come out when he rubs with his fingers. He always plays his favorite music while drawing, and with his palms covered in paint, he sometimes dances and even sings while making art.

How did the artist feel when he saw the collaborative artwork?

Sun: Proud and happy.

Mother: It was a shame that we couldn’t go to the exhibition in person. We showed him photos and videos and talked about it together. When I explained that the artworks were inspired by his drawings and that the audience responded positively, he said, “Wow!” with excitement. (laughs)

What kind of drawings does the artist want to make in the future?

Sun: I want to keep drawing landscapes and family pictures.

Mother: He draws a wide range of subjects. Although his work is often warm, comforting, and lovely, he also enjoys drawing playful and mischievous pictures. Since he’s still young, what he wants to draw changes every day. The themes or subjects may change, but I believe the warmth and joy within him will always be reflected in his art.

Supporting Sun so that he can maintain his unique artistic colors and enjoy his work freely is more difficult than expected, but we’ll continue to watch closely and help him so that wherever his works are shown, people can immediately recognize them as Sun’s.