Yoon Lee is a Korean-born, Los Angeles-based interdisciplinary artist focusing on feminine identity through maternal protection, maternal instincts, and love. Lee examines the history and ongoing discrimination women face in Korea, such as cultural preference for sons, the brutal history of Comfort Women during World War II, and stereotypical Korean folktale stories.

Lee primarily works in painting, ceramics, and sculpture, choosing images of nature– including scenes from both historical and contemporary life–to explore how the human experience of caring and protection is mirrored in nature's own cycles. Their instinct for protection connects to their mother’s maternal love. Her exhibition Chrysalis visualizes protection in nature —such as a cocoon and a bird nest —and the relationship between mother and baby animals, depicting maternal instincts and love. The paintings were created inside cocoon-shaped mulberry paper forms and bird nests made from branches collected outdoors. In Chrysalis, Lee also painted animals known for their maternal care, such as koalas and kangaroos, and portrayed herself as a baby held in their pouches or carried on their backs to symbolize the intimate bond between mother and child.

Lee’s artistic decisions are made based on her cultural background as a Korean woman—the main subject of her work —along with cultural expectations and oppression. She incorporates traditional materials such as Hanji or Hanbok to draw parallels between the struggles of Korean women and contemporary issues, bringing the feminine experience across periods. In her recent exhibition, From Mud to Bloom, she used Korean pigments on mulberry paper to paint scenes that symbolize the sacrifice of women in folktales. Through this classic fairy tale of female self-effacement, Lee bridges cultural memory with present realities, inviting viewers to reflect on how feminine love can endure, transform, and bloom across generations.

Solo Exhibitions

2025

From Mud to Bloom @ USC Roski Lindhurst Gallery // Los Angeles, CA

2024

Chrysalis @ USC Roski IFT Gallery // Los Angeles, CA

Select Group Exhibitions

2025

USC Group Exhibition Hydroware // Los Angeles, CA

2024

Annual Student Exhibition @ USC Fisher Museum // Los Angeles, CA

8th Annual Scholarship Exhibition @ Palos Verdes Art Center // Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Bridge of Asia Showcase @ USC Tommy’s Place // Los Angeles, CA

2023

Annual Student Exhibition @ USC Fisher Museum // Los Angeles, CA

Spring Student Showcase @ Saddleback College // Mission Viejo, CA

“Korean Wave” @ Korean American Artists Association // WA

2022

Spring Student Showcase @ Saddleback College // Mission Viejo, CA

Honors & Awards

2025

Macomber Travel Award, University of Southern California // Los Angeles, CA

2024

Best of Show, Korean American Artists Association of Washington State // WA

2023

Best in Show, Saddleback College Spring Student Showcase Award // Mission Viejo, CA

2022

First Place in Painting, Saddleback College Spring Student Showcase Award // Mission Viejo, CA

Education

2026

BFA Fine Arts, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA