Biography
Jiyong Lee (b. 1971, Seoul, Korea) is a Korean-American artist known for his Segmentation series, sculptural works in glass that explore how complex structures emerge from simple units. Drawing from cellular biology, his work examines how variation is embedded within shared systems and how it is only partially accessible through perception. He has lived and worked in the United States since 1998 and is currently based in Illinois.
In the ongoing Segmentation series, geometric and biomorphic forms reference cellular and embryonic structures while emphasizing the optical properties of glass—transparency, translucency, and opacity. Through layered construction, Lee creates sculptures in which simple exterior forms contain intricate internal variations, simultaneously revealing and concealing structure. Rather than presenting these forms as scientific models, the work reflects on how complexity is organized, perceived, and often only partially understood.
Lee’s work has received international recognition, including being named a finalist for the 2021 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize and receiving the 2017 Bavarian State Prize at the International Trade Fair in Munich. His sculptures have been widely exhibited and published, including in Glass Quarterly, American Craft, and New Glass Review by The Corning Museum of Glass. His work is held in major public and private collections, including The Corning Museum of Glass and the Barry Art Museum. In addition to his studio practice, Lee is a professor of art at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he has led the glass program since 2005. He earned his MFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and has taught and presented workshops internationally, including at The Corning Museum of Glass, Penland School of Craft, and Pilchuck Glass School.
Jiyong Lee (b. 1971, Seoul, Korea) is a Korean-American artist known for his Segmentation series, sculptural works in glass that explore how complex structures emerge from simple units. Drawing from cellular biology, his work examines how variation is embedded within shared systems and how it is only partially accessible through perception. He has lived and worked in the United States since 1998 and is currently based in Illinois.
In the ongoing Segmentation series, geometric and biomorphic forms reference cellular and embryonic structures while emphasizing the optical properties of glass—transparency, translucency, and opacity. Through layered construction, Lee creates sculptures in which simple exterior forms contain intricate internal variations, simultaneously revealing and concealing structure. Rather than presenting these forms as scientific models, the work reflects on how complexity is organized, perceived, and often only partially understood.
Lee’s work has received international recognition, including being named a finalist for the 2021 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize and receiving the 2017 Bavarian State Prize at the International Trade Fair in Munich. His sculptures have been widely exhibited and published, including in Glass Quarterly, American Craft, and New Glass Review by The Corning Museum of Glass. His work is held in major public and private collections, including The Corning Museum of Glass and the Barry Art Museum. In addition to his studio practice, Lee is a professor of art at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he has led the glass program since 2005. He earned his MFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology and has taught and presented workshops internationally, including at The Corning Museum of Glass, Penland School of Craft, and Pilchuck Glass School.
Public Collection
Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, USA
Barry Art Museum, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Fundación MEDIANOCHE0, Granada, Spain
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Mount Vernon, Illinois, USA
Chanel, Paris, France
Samsung Corporation, Seoul, Korea
Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, USA
Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin, USA
Palmer Museum of Art, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Qingdao Art Museum, Qingdao, China
Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York, USA
Barry Art Museum, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Fundación MEDIANOCHE0, Granada, Spain
Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Mount Vernon, Illinois, USA
Chanel, Paris, France
Samsung Corporation, Seoul, Korea
Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, USA
Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin, USA
Palmer Museum of Art, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Qingdao Art Museum, Qingdao, China
Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
CV
Press
The 8th Tallinn Applied Art Triennial 'Translucency'
William V. Ganis, “The Tao of Glass” Glass Quarterly, No. 172 Fall 2023, pp 26-35
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