Has Lee Bae ever thought working with other art materials?
Since moving to France in 1989, Lee Bae has consistently produced works with charcoal. Early in his career, Lee focused on the materiality of charcoal by installing huge chunks of charcoal, attaching pieces of charcoal to various surfaces, and conducting performances in which he threw pieces of charcoal. More recently, he has focused on works related to the spirit of calligraphy and drawing, replacing traditional black ink with a mixture of charcoal powder and water. Thus, he continues to expand his world of art through diverse variations of charcoal. Explaining his devotion to charcoal and discussing whether he would ever consider working with other materials, Lee Bae provides compelling insights into his artistic approach and direction.