“Lee’s work uncovers submerged queer histories and artistic kinships to poetic effect. His resonant, varied materials—including a plant that stems from one tended to by Harvey Milk, video images of friends’ tattoos and scars, or fabric used for funeral shrouds—maintain a visceral, affective relationship to their subjects, and together constitute something like a group of magical memory objects.” – Juror Henriette Huldisch, Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, Walker Art Center

Kang Seung Lee is the 2023 Angeles Art Fund Artadia Award recipient.

Kang Seung Lee is a multidisciplinary artist who was born in South Korea and now lives and works in Los Angeles. Recent projects include exhibitions at 2021 New Museum Triennial, New York (2021); 13th Gwangju Biennial, Gwnagju (2021); MASS MoCA, North Adams (2021); Gallery Hyundai, Seoul (2021); Commonwealth and Council, Los Angeles (2021); National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (2020). He is a recipient of MacDowell Fellowship (2022); California Community Foundation Fellowship (2019); Rema Hort Mann Foundation Grant (2018); and Artpace San Antonio International Artist-in-Residence program (2017). Lee’s work is in the collections of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea; among others.

Lee’s work frequently engages the legacy of transnational queer histories, particularly as they intersect with art history. It’s focused on the intersection of history and visual culture, centering under-recognized or marginalized narratives. He often researches and repositions various queer archives and collections, connecting distinct geographies and experiences to forge new sites of knowledge.