PIBI Gallery

About the Gallery
Founded in 2016, PIBI Gallery is dedicated to showcasing exceptional artists from Korea and beyond, exploring the diverse intersections of contemporary art. With a strong emphasis on artistic potential, the gallery supports bold creative pursuits, serving as a dynamic space for dialogue and engagement through curated projects and strategic consulting. Its exhibition program maintains a thoughtful balance, highlighting key figures in Korean contemporary art from the 1980s to the present and introducing emerging artists across multiple disciplines. This distinctive approach has established PIBI Gallery as a leading presence in the contemporary art scene.

PIBI Gallery actively expands opportunities for its artists by collaborating with major museums and institutions and participating in international art fairs. The gallery identifies and nurtures promising new talent through its PIBI_LINK and PIBI+ programs. In addition, PIBI TALK fosters deeper connections with art enthusiasts, while its publishing initiatives contribute to the global recognition of Korean artists. Notable publications include DONGI LEE, Conversation with Art Critic Ryu Byeonghak (2019) and PENTAGON (2021), which examine the artistic journey of Dongi Lee, a pioneering figure in Korean pop art. In 2022, PIBI Gallery published Geometric Abstract Painting: Lee Kyo Jun, offering a comprehensive exploration of Lee Kyo Jun’s work and its influence on installation and geometric abstraction in Korea since the 1970s and 1980s.

Looking ahead, PIBI Gallery remains committed to championing visionary artists across disciplines, while cultivating meaningful connections between artists and art enthusiasts. Through these efforts, the gallery continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of contemporary Korean art, both in depth and reach.

About the Presentation
Kyojun Lee will make his New York debut in a solo presentation with PIBI Gallery, a first-time exhibitor at Independent. Lee (b. 1955) is a key figure in Korean Geometric Abstract Painting. Lee has dedicated his practice to a profound and enduring exploration of art’s fundamental nature, experimenting extensively with diverse media and materials. The works span early photography and works on paper, paintings, the Void series, and recent works, offering a comprehensive view of how the artist’s ideas and formal experimentation have accumulated and expanded over time. Photographic works from the 1970s and 1980s record experimental installations and conceptual performances, photo collage drawings and paper works from 1980s and 1990s make evident how he developed and experimented with geometric division from the nature and illusion of the surface, and the three-dimensional presentation of Void connotes layers composed of sides and lines from 2009-2012. Lee’s recent geometric abstract paintings employing semi-transparent canvas created from 2020, are intrinsically connected to his early endeavors in experimental art.