Biography
Investigation of notions of identity is at the heart of Nikki S. Lee's artistic expression. The Korean-American artist living in Seoul explores social behavior and cultural identity through the photographic medium. Her work has led to the conclusion that individual personalities are fluid. Today her works are in numerous private and public collections around the world, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C, The Hammer Museum at UCLA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.
Lee Seung-Hee was born in 1970 in Korea. She learned about foreign cultures from a young age through magazines, music, and television programs. She dreamed of becoming an artist but was afraid that such a feat was impossible for a woman. Instead, she tried becoming an actress but felt insecure about her looks. At the advice of her parents, she chose to study photography. Lee graduated in 1993 from Chung-Ang University in Seoul with BFA. A year later moved to New York City to study fashion and commercial photography and adopted a western name, Nikki S. Lee. The artist worked as an assistant to renowned fashion photographer David LaChapelle and received a master's degree from New York University in 1998.
At the University, Lee began her series . The artist used makeup and clothing to transform herself and make her look the part of a group she wished to investigate. The artist successfully joined various social communities by changing posture, adopting group gestures, and often learning new skills.
The series features several projects, including :
The Projects (1997-2001) : Arguably her most famous body of work, The Projects series is a groundbreaking exploration of subcultures. Lee inserted herself into diverse groups—such as skateboarders, yuppies, senior citizens, and even drag queens—adopting their fashion, behavior, and lifestyle. She spent weeks or months with each group, building rapport, before photographing herself within the group's context.
Parts (2002-2005) : In this series, Lee explored relationships and how identity shifts in intimate settings. Each photograph features Lee with a male partner, but the man is intentionally cropped out, leaving only fragments like an arm or a shoulder. The incomplete framing forces viewers to question what's missing and how much our sense of self is influenced by others.
The Ohio Project (1999) : Stepping into the role of a small-town girl in Ohio, Lee explored the contrast between rural and urban identities. The series delves into stereotypes, cultural expectations, and the intersection of personal and communal identity. It challenges preconceived notions about rural American life and its perceived simplicity.
Each project began from afar, as the artist prepared by observing groups and learning about their behaviors. She would then approach them and introduce herself as an artist. While spending time with each group, she would ask a friend or a member to take a photo with a point-and-shoot camera, intentionally creating non-professional photographs.
Lee investigates and raises questions about social behavior and cultural identity, for she believes they are fluid. Thus every identity she explores is an extension of herself. Through her work, Lee has noticed some key differences between East and West.
In 2006 the artist created a mockumentary entitled , filmed in various locations, including the Armory Show and the Venice Biennale. It premiered at the Museum of Modern Art. In 2019 she had a solo exhibition , at Various Small Fires in Los Angeles, and in 2022 she participated in a group show at the Tang Museum in New York.