LEE CHUL SOO
Visual Poetry - A Decade of Woodcuts

Master woodcut artist Lee Chul Soo is widely recognized as one of the foremost contemporary Korean artists. Mr. Lee was born in Seoul in 1954 and at an early age, without formal training, began his artistic studies. His first major exhibition was in Seoul in 1981 and has continued to exhibit his work in Korea. This is the artist’s first show in the United States; and focuses on work from the past ten years.
Lee Chul Soo now lives with his wife on a small rice farm in rural Korea. He grows most of his own food, and fills his days with farming, writing poetry and making prints by hand in the traditional way. The artist’s woodcuts, characterized by laconic prose, reflect his life as a farmer, Zen practitioner and poet-artist. His themes express a deep respect for nature, family and a quiet, contemplative way of life.
His poems, both visual and verbal, speak to all people. Lee Chul Soo, in his simple forms and words, expresses universal messages that are beyond boundaries or borders.

A Bird
Woodcut.
2002. 7/60.
35 x 45 inches.
$2200.00 unframed
#29480

Translation of text:
As a bird without a head,
Soars up without wings,
There appeared a broad road.

While Cultivating the Field
Woodcut.
2003. 7/42.
16 x 23 inches.
$500.00 unframed

#29485

Translation of text:
I wonder whether those who were decorating the clay pots in old days had the same mind as mine.

Your Way
Woodcut.
2004. 7/48.
26 1/4 x 16 1/2 inches.
$600.00 unframed
#29500

Translation of text:
An old man slowly traverses the hilly bean
field with its long furrows.

That hilly field had been hard to cross even
when he was young.

A New Day
Woodcut.
2005. 7/40.
12 1/4 x 23 inches.
$550.00 unframed
#29512

Translation of text:
A New Day

The house looks like a mountain.
The sun rises like a friend.
You are already bright.
When I become bright,
We will be birds of a feather.

On Buddha's Birthday
Woodcut.
2003. 7/29.
23 x 11 1/4 inches.
$500.00 unframed
#29489

Translation of text:
On Buddha's Birthday

On Buddha's birthday, the child asks.
"Did you go to the temple?"
"Yes, I did."
"What did you do there?"
"I had lunch."
"Was that all you did?"
"Oops, my bodhisattva daughter!"

A Place for Practice
Woodcut.
2003. 7/24.
23 x 13 3/4 inches.
$550.00 unframed
#29491

Translation of text:
A Place For Practice

Oh you, the seeker of the Way,
Are you still living at that address?
Why don't you move out of there for your own life?

A Watermelon Peddler; On the Hill
Woodcut.
2004. 7/41.
16 1/2 x 19 inches.
$450.00 unframed
#29507

An Agricultural Aphorism: "Take a Rest!"
Woodcut.
2004. 7/41.
16 3/4 x 19 1/4 inches.
$450.00 unframed
#29499

Translation of text:
"An Agricultural Aphorism: Take a Rest!"
A moving seed cannot sprout.

A Walk
Woodcut.
2004. 7/43.
12 1/2 x 23 inches.
$550.00 unframed
#29506

Dandelion's Night Sky
Woodcut.
2004. 7/53.
23 x 29 1/4 inches.
$700.00 unframed
#29503

Translation of text:
Dandelion's Night Sky
Today the whole universe seems to exist only for you.

A Ladder
Woodcut.
2004. 9/49.
23 x 27 1/2 inches.
$700.00 unframed
#29505

Translation of text:
A Ladder

An upward path,
A beautiful single path,
That leads to the wide space...

Work
Woodcut.
2004. 7/40.
10 1/4 x 39 inches.
$900.00 unframed

#29508

The Perfect World
Woodcut.
2003. 7/24.
9 1/2 x 23 inches.
$500.00 unframed
#29492

Translation of text:
The Perfect World

A one-legged frog is swimming around.
You, as you are now, are perfect.

A Good Day
Woodcut.
2003. 7/42.
21 3/4 x 23 inches.
$600.00 unframed
#27836

Translation of text:
After rain,
Everything looks clear.
The dog is barking at the cat.
It must be a good day.

Travel Diary of the East River I
Woodcut.
2003. 7/42.
21 3/4 x 23 inches.
$600.00 unframed
#27836

Translation of text:
Excuse Me. We must cross this river. Please excuse us. We will go as quietly as possible.

Travel Diary of the East River 2
Woodcut.
2003. 7/40.
23 x 26 1/2 inches.
$700.00 unframed
#27837

Translation of text:
Empty Riverside. Lying in an empty boat. Raining sunshine and passing breezes touch my skin. I lay aside frivolous thought for the moment.

Dandelion
Woodcut.
2003. 7/27.
16 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches.
$450.00 unframed
#27831

Translation of text:
Early in the spring, the dandelion has not yet blossomed.
The mind already sees its spores flying away.

As You Sow
Woodcut.
2003. 8/33.
16 1/2 x 25 3/4 inches.
$600.00 unframed
#29490

Translation of text:
As You Sow
Reap as you sow,
And if there is no more greed,
You will be calm.

A Spring Day
Woodcut.
2003. 7/41.
16 x 19 inches.
$450.00 unframed
#29486

Translation of text:
A Spring Day
Dear!
Do you hear the birds chirping?
The chirping you hand over to me!

Ginseng Patch
Woodcut.
2003. Edition of 30.
17 x 29 inches.
$900.00 unframed

Early Evening Stars
Woodcut.
2003. 7/34.
16 1/2 x 27 1/2 inches.
$600.00 unframed
#27839

Translation of text:
Early Evening Stars

After working in the field
We met under the starry sky.
I wish we were little stars.

Outing to Go Home
Woodcut.
2003. 7/55.
16 1/2 x 25 1/2 inches.
$600.00 unframed
#27838

Translation of text:
Where are you going?
My house?
The one that I left?

Song of Life
Woodcut.
2003. 7/33.
16 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches.
$450.00 unframed
#27832

Translation of text:
On a snowy day,
in the little basket,
the seeds wait for spring.

Yin and Yang
Woodcut.
2003. 7/32.
13 x 23 inches.
$550.00 unframed

#29494

Translation of text:
Yin and Yang

Near at the same time Far.

Look at the Birds in the Sky!
Woodcut.
2003. 7/25.
23 x 27 1/4 inches.
$700.00 unframed

#29495

A Homebound Ship
Woodcut.
2003. 7/40.
19 1/2 x 23 inches.
$550.00 unframed
#29483

Translation of text:
A Homebound Ship
On the water
A ship was returning to a small house,
After sailing in the wide open space.

Good Day
2003. Woodcut. 7/53.
Image size 3 1/2 x 23 inches.
$600

Translation of text:
Sleep without dream,
labor without thought.
(A clear mind, an empty mind)
In that everyday is a good day.

White Butterfly of the East River
2003. Woodcut. 7/44.
9 1/2 x 23 inches.
$500

Translation of text:
When we went to Urayon,
one white butterfly calmly
flew over the East River.

Little Things
2003. Woodcut. 7/40.
$550

Translation of text:
You ought to love the world
little by little, little things.

How to Appreciate the Paintings
Woodcut.
2003. 7/42.
19 1/2 x 23 inches.
$550.00 unframed
#29484

Translation of text:
How to Appreciate the Paintings

Forget the painter and meet the paintings.
If you find the stories the paintings are telling you interesting, Just take them. You may even go somewhere quiet with those stories. "You didn't find anything interesting? Why didn't you leave earlier?"

A Cloudless Day
Woodcut. 2/40. 2002.
Image: 17 x 22 in.
Frame: 27 x 35-1/2 in.
$700

Translation of text:
I used to think the tall trees on a high mountain
were the highest. And now I see a small bird
flying in the sky over the mountain.

It's too far for you isn't it?
Woodcut. 2/51. 2002.
Image: 18-1/2 x 19-1/2 in.
Frame: 30 x 34-3/4 in.
$700

Translation of text:
"It's too far for you isn't it?"
"It's not too bad..."

An Autumn Way
Woodcut. 7/34. 2002.
Image: 13 x 14 in.
Frame: 24 x 26-1/4 in.
$450

Translation of text:
The wind blowing in my mind
And those many falling leave

A Snowy Path
Woodcut. 2/45. 2002.
Image: 13 x 20 in.
Frame: 23-1/4 x 30 in.
$550

Translation of text:
I walked on a snowy path.
My own quiet path.
In a white world.

Your Way
Woodcut. 2/30. 2001.
Image: 12 x 16 in.
Frame: 26-1/4 x 30-1/4 in.
$500

Translation of text:
No need to hurry.
As long as you walk along, that much is the way for you.
Slowly go on your own way.

I Must Cross the River
Woodcut. 2001.
Image: 7-1/2 x 20 in.
Frame: 16-1/2 x 30 in.
$500

Translation of text:
There flows a river of desire.
The current is rough from time to time.
I should look not at the current but at a big tree on the other side.

The Stack of Firewood
1995. Woodcut. 5/63.
37 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches.
$1000

Translation:
The day the Sunbeams were stacked quietly in the backyard.

The Perfect Vessel
Woodcut. 2/21. 2001.
Image: 22 x 13 in.
Frame: 33-1/2 x 23-3/4 in.
$600

Translation of text:
They said the vessel was useless because it was bent in the middle.
I filled it with water and put a pruned-off twig in it.
Suddenly today, I found the flowers bloomed.
Ah, the vessel is pretty: it is perfect.

Shopping
Woodcut. 11/17. 2000.
Image: 13 x 16 in.
Frame: 24 x 26-1/2 in.
$450

Translation of text:
A downpour of rain.
It fell like bar codes.
We walked through it.

A Clear Day
Woodcut. 2/22. 1998.
Image: 16-1/2 x 16-1/2 in.
Frame: 26-1/4 x 30 in.
$550

A Moving Day
Woodcut. 2/26. 1998.
Image: 13-1/2 x 22 in.
Frame: 23-3/4 x 35-1/2 in.
$600

A Fish of No Mind
1998. Woodcut. 4/31.
15 x 16 inches.
$450

Translation of text:
A fish of "No Mind"
Swims in the emptiness.
Smells fishy.

Birds Flying Up
1998. 18/31.
14 x 18 inches.
$550

O My Heart Pours Forth
Woodcut.
1994. 8/42.
38 x 39 inches.
$1500.00 unframed
#29479

Wind - Husband and Wife Together
Woodcut. 17/46. 1991.
Image: 14 x 35 in.
Frame: 28-3/4 x 55-1/2 in.
$1000