Inspired by his fascination with cell division, artist Jiyong Lee has created incredible glass sculptures that represent this scientific process. As onlookers move around Lee’s creations, the light plays off of the glass, transforming the works of art into astonishing new forms. On the surface, the sculptor’s Segmentation series appears both simple and intricate, representing the contradictory relationship between clarity and complexity. This same connection can be found within living beings, which adds a symbolic quality to these biologically-inspired glass structures.
In transforming solid glass by cutting, laminating, carving, and refining, Lee invests an incredible amount of thought into his meaningful work. “I work with glass that has transparency and translucency, two qualities that serve as perfect metaphors for what is known and unknown about life science. The segmented, geometrical forms of my work represent cells, embryos, biological and molecular structures–each symbolizing the building blocks of life as well as the starting point of life. The uniquely refined translucent glass surfaces suggest the mysterious qualities of cells and, on a larger scale, the cloudiness of their futures. The Segmentation series is subtle and quiet yet structurally complex,” stated Lee.
