10 Questions with Ailyn Lee
Ailyn Lee (b. 1994, KR) received her MFA in Fine Arts and BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She has exhibited her work at various venues in New York and South Korea, including A.I.R. Gallery, the Wassaic Project, SVA Chelsea Gallery, HERE Arts Center, and the Busan International Art Fair, among others. She has completed residencies at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP), the Wassaic Project, Kunstraum, and the Vermont Studio Center.
Ailyn Lee - Portrait | Photo: iscp
ARTIST STATEMENT
Ailyn Lee is an interdisciplinary artist based in New York. Working with hand-sculpted stone clay, found objects, and drawings on canvas, she creates dreamlike scenes that explore memory, femininity, and transformation. Her practice is deeply rooted in her childhood, much of which was spent in her grandmother’s antique shop in Busan, surrounded by old furniture, mysterious objects, and figurative sculptures made by her mother. She sees both the body and the object as mnemonic vessels, containers of longing, vulnerability, and desire. Her creative process often begins with automatic drawings or fragments of dreams, allowing subconscious imagery to surface organically. Recurring symbols such as the moon, butterflies, and threads weave through her work, evoking the subconscious, cycles of transformation, and the pull of karma.
The Way I Keep You Forever, stone clay, sea shell, glass beads, butterfly specimen, thread, lock, key, paraffin wax, lace textile, engraved wooden box with thermometer, 2025 © Ailyn Lee
INTERVIEW
Please introduce yourself to our readers. Who are you, and when did your interest in art first begin?
Yes, of course! My name is Ailyn, and I’m an interdisciplinary artist based in New York. My interest in art started when I was very young. I used to spend hours either drawing and making little objects in my mother’s sculpture studio, or wandering around my grandmother’s antique shop in Busan. Those two places became my sanctuaries and playgrounds. In my mother’s studio, I loved shaping small clay pieces next to the big kiln, and in the antique shop, I was always imagining the hidden stories behind the old furniture and mysterious objects. Growing up in a family of artists, art just felt natural, almost like part of everyday life. I feel lucky that my parents were always supportive.
Why did you choose sculpture as your primary medium?
Working with my hands feels deeply personal and grounding. When I assemble and disassemble found objects and merge them with stone clay, it feels like I am giving them a second life and a new story. I’ve always loved collecting objects from the places I visit, and it is incredibly satisfying to see them become part of my work.
How has your background in illustration influenced your work?
I still create automatic drawings every day, a habit that began during my BFA in illustration. For me, drawing works like a bridge into the subconscious. It’s the place where every project finds its starting point.
Lured by Red, stone clay, crib, bedside table, canvas, gemstone, wooden finger, wooden figure, magnifying glass, glass pomegranate, wood log, dried flower, fur fabric, acrylic, 20×15×60 inches, 2025 © Ailyn Lee
Lured by Red (detail), 2025 © Ailyn Lee
How did you develop your unique concept of mixing found objects with clay?
It began unexpectedly. One day, I placed a head sculpture on an old coat rack, and its uncanny, human-like presence actually startled me, especially when I walked past it at night. But that moment made something click. Since then, I’ve loved exploring how clay merges with found objects. Growing up, our home was always overflowing with disassembled furniture and my mother’s sculptures, so it felt natural to bring these things together.
What other inspirations shape your work?
My work is also shaped by myths, fairy tales, and writings that explore dreams and the subconscious. Since childhood, I’ve valued having my own space. Even in boarding school, I often found refuge backstage at the theatre. Later, I was drawn to the writings of Gaston Bachelard and Clarissa Pinkola Estés, which opened pathways into hidden instincts and dreamlike thinking. The ideas of Freud and Carl Jung deepened my interest in the symbolic language of dreams and continue to inform the way I analyse my automatic drawings. Still, I filter these theories through my own experience as a woman, allowing memory, desire, and the body to resurface through my practice.
What central themes do you aim to convey?
I want to keep exploring how memory, transformation, and desire live within both the body and everyday objects. Even fragments, such as scars or longings, are part of what shapes me, and I want to reveal that in my work. When I combine found objects with clay or develop drawings, I’m not simply recreating memories; I’m letting hidden emotions and fragments return in new forms, almost like dreams that feel strange yet familiar. My work often lingers in that space between what is hidden and what is revealed.
Love Eater, Nightmare Maker, raw canvas, graphite, pastel, acrylic, lace textile, hanji paper, hanbok silk, red thread, heart sticker, press-on nail, wooden frame, 30 × 40 inches, 2025 © Ailyn Lee
Pomegranate Cocoon, graphite, acrylic, pastel, test tube, glass beads, epoxy, Korean hanji paper, Korean nobang silk, thread on canvas, 10 × 8 inches each, 2025 © Ailyn Lee
Is there a recurring symbol with special meaning?
Yes. The moon, butterflies, and threads appear frequently in my work. For me, they speak to the subconscious, cycles of transformation, and the invisible pull of karma. I also often use Korean materials such as Hanji paper and Nobang silk. Initially, I was drawn to their textures, the translucency and surface reminded me of skin. When I tried to find them in the United States, it wasn’t easy, so now, whenever I visit Korea, I bring back as much as I can. I feel these materials carry something deeply tied to my identity.
What’s next for your practice?
I’m always interested in creating immersive, theatrical installations where light, sound, and space become as vital as the sculptures themselves. During my MFA at the School of Visual Arts, I first explored installation and short films, and those experiences continue to shape my practice today. My goal is to move beyond individual objects and build environments that invite viewers into the dreamlike narratives at the core of my work.
Dream Sipper, Stone clay, wooden stool, fur fabric, gemstone, wooden table leg, wooden mannequin finger, wooden shoe expander, acrylic, string, IV line, glass bottle, and ribbon, 35×20x70 inches, 2025 © Ailyn Lee
How have audiences responded to your work?
Many viewers have shared very personal stories after seeing my work, and those moments of connection are deeply meaningful to me. Sometimes they recall memories from their own childhoods, or talk about objects and images that hold emotional weight for them. Hearing how my work resonates in such personal ways reaffirms the idea that art can be a bridge between individual experience and collective memory. These exchanges not only remind me why I create but also encourage me to keep searching for new forms and narratives that open space for reflection, vulnerability, and dialogue.
Any upcoming projects?
Yes, I will be rejoining the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) in Brooklyn as an artist-in-residence from September to November 2025. During this residency, I plan to further develop my sculptural practice and drawings, while also connecting with an international community of artists and curators. The residency will conclude with a public Open Studios in November, where I’m excited to share new works-in-progress.
Artist’s Talk
Al-Tiba9 Interviews is a curated promotional platform that offers artists the opportunity to articulate their vision and engage with our diverse international readership through insightful, published dialogues. Conducted by Mohamed Benhadj, founder and curator of Al-Tiba9, these interviews spotlight the artists’ creative journeys and introduce their work to the global contemporary art scene.
Through our extensive network of museums, galleries, art professionals, collectors, and art enthusiasts worldwide, Al-Tiba9 Interviews provides a meaningful stage for artists to expand their reach and strengthen their presence in the international art discourse.
