Soyoung Lee (b. 1973, Seoul, Korea) renders self-portraits on canvas based on mirror-image distortions of disparate reflective surfaces including buildings, windows, computers, and phone screens to capture the essence of the moment that is beyond visibility. The artist, too, delves into the natural world in her portraiture, noticing how the patterns of ocean waves create natural repetition, and capturing vibrating and echoing sound through repeated brush strokes.   

Following a family tragedy, Lee began incorporating her own image as subject. “Through art, I could reinvent and rediscover myself, creating my escape and paradise,” she reflects. “By incorporating elements such as metal, light, water, and sound into my art, I found different versions of myself in alternate realities, creating an eternal loop of self-discovery and expression.”  

Soyoung Lee earned a B.F.A. in painting from Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, RI) in 1996. She lives and works in Irvine, CA.