The Most Beautiful Moment in Life – Plum blossom, acrylic on terracotta panel, 165x95x10cm(L), 95x98x7cm(R), 2024

Artist Ji-sook Lee has consistently worked in terracotta reliefs, gaining popularity with her book-themed series inspired by minhwa (Korean folk painting) motifs. Another well-received body of work includes her “Candy” series. In this exhibition, she presents a new piece titled Plum Blossom. As plum blossoms bloom even in the snow, they symbolize the ability to flourish and bear fruit despite hardship and adversity.

Lee continues to work under the overarching theme of Hwayangyeonhwa—“the most beautiful moment in life”—and she sees the plum blossom as a true embodiment of this concept: a flower that turns difficulty into beauty, and memory into poetry. Her decision to depict plum blossoms not under bright sunlight, but within darkness and snow, reflects the belief that true beauty shines even more after enduring pain. We hope viewers will find deep comfort in her new works Night Plum Blossom and Plum in the Snow.