The Narrative of the Ideal World Reflected in Youngsoo Lee’s Mineral Pigment Paintings

One can describe the work of Lee Young-soo (b. 1944) as “a world of five cardinal colors where the spirit of gemstones breathes life.” For over 60 years, he has upheld the tradition of Korean painting, using color as his primary medium and creating artworks with gemstone powders ground from natural rocks. Early in his career, Lee depicted everyday life realistically, but gradually, he began incorporating amorphous images into his canvases. Whether working figuratively or abstractly, he sought to capture only the essence of his subjects. Even in his abstract works, he often drew motifs from traditional Korean patterns and cultural heritage.<br/> Later, his artistic focus shifted toward portraying scenes of his hometown and childhood memories as if they were moments from a fairy tale—an idealized utopia to which he longed to return. In expressing his nostalgia and the landscapes of his hometown, he reinterpreted the themes, compositions, and coloring techniques of traditional folk paintings (minhwa ), employing a unique coloring method that combined gemstone powders—such as ruby, peacock stone, agate, crystal, and meteorite—with ink. Even during a period when ink wash painting was in vogue, Lee continued his mineral pigment works, later expanding his formal interests to the cosmos. The universe, containing celestial bodies like stars, planets, and galaxies, represented life itself and another form of utopia for him. He infused his works with a cosmic world view based on yin-yang philosophy, expressing the universe’s fundamental vitality through imagery. The luminescent and uniquely textured gemstone powders played a crucial role. This approach distinguished him from other contemporary artists who focused on landscapes or everyday scenes. His journey toward utopia continues in the Golden Landscape and Emperor’s Landscape series, where a sculptural world unfolds that is rooted in tradition yet fused with originality.