At first glance, Korean artist Kyu-Hak Lee's mixed media mosaics come off as fairly straightforward recreations of iconic works of art. But upon closer inspection, there's more depth to Lee's works than expected. Using a specific technique -- rolling strips of magazine and newspaper pages around small bits of wood -- Lee replicates brushstrokes, patterns, and colors to create a commentary on consumerism and worth.
In an interview with The NY Daily News, Lee explained that he chose to work with a range of materials because, "it best represented the 'vanity' of contemporary culture." For Lee, Styrofoam is "the best material symbolizing the modern civilization," adding, "[it's] easily broken and melted with heat, but non-biodegradable like plastic."
In this particular series he brings a delicious depth to art's classics, making use of recycled materials and imbuing these famous works of art with the "vanity" we find in today's world. We're excited to see what he tackles next.
Click here to see more from his series and be sure to check out the slideshow below.
The artist's mixed media mosaics are currently on display at the Black Square Gallery in Miami and Yesong Gallery in Seoul.
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