Architecture nominee

For modern people thirsting for "breath" and "rest," the essential force they need is healing and relaxation. The relentless push to "move forward" may drive society forward, but it also slowly depletes our sense of self. In a fast-changing world, both body and mind are pressured to keep pace, swept up in an expanding sense of competition. This leads us to erase the spaces of leisure from our lives, creating an anxious existence without room to breathe. I, too, find myself craving healing in the harsh reality of modern life, longing for moments of rest to recover my fading sense of self. Seeking that healing, I embark on a personal journey. Wherever I am—whether it's within architectural spaces or amidst forms of visual beauty—it doesn't need to be a dream destination or an imagined utopia. In my work, I capture the blend of real-life surroundings and clouds, reconstructing them into new compositions. Through these images, I reflect on moments of escape and search for "myself" floating among the clouds—sometimes as the cloud itself.

Hye Ok Lee is a South Korean photographer who explores the themes of "rest" and "solace" at the intersection of reality and surrealism. For the past 12 years, she has used her camera to find stability and meaning in life, evolving from a dedicated homemaker into a passionate artist. Her work focuses on capturing spiritual landscapes that offer comfort to the weary soul.

• Solo Exhibitions
2024-07 | Relaxation: Landscapes After Rest (Invited), Ryukyung Gallery, Pyeongchang, South Korea
2023-11 | Relaxation: Landscapes After Rest, Gaon Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
• Selected Group Exhibitions & Art Fairs
2025-07 | Relaxation 2: Landscapes After Rest, Galerie Arles OFF, Arles, France (Scheduled)
2024-11 | Relaxation 2: Landscapes After Rest, Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
2024-11 | Relaxation: Landscapes After Rest, Galerie le Marais, Paris, France
2024-07 | Relaxation: Landscapes After Rest, Galerie Shadows OFF, Arles, France
2023-11 | The Joy of Walking the Boundaries of Photography, Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
2023-07 | FAPA Award Special Exhibition, Ryukyung Gallery, Pyeongchang, South Korea
• Awards
2025 | Nominee, Fine Art Category, 11th Fine Art Photography Awards (FAPA)
2023 | Nominee, Fine Art Category, 9th Fine Art Photography Awards (FAPA)