It was absolutely mesmerizing for me to pore over the details of these paintings of corner-stores. Would be amazing to see the actual paintings I am sure. The South Korean artist Lee Me Kyeoung has spent decades celebrating the humble charm of corner store. With delicate pen and acrylic ink on paper, she lovingly renders small markets nestled into mountainsides, streetscapes, and rural villages from Australia to Turkey, including Vietnam, Nepal, Mongolia, and Türkiye.
I could help but wonder how she might render some a corner store in the corner of Kolkata where my parents live. The one that came to mind is a hive of activity but it does not look pretty. I cannot think of a way to imbue it with beauty but I am not artist.
Each of her drawings, is like a distilled visual tribute, capturing the store's structural character and the surrounding flora, from cherry blossoms to persimmon trees, reinforcing the universal beauty in these modest, community-centered spaces. Her her attention to detail and emotional resonance is quite remarkable.
They often spotlight the stores against stark white backdrops, allowing every nuance to stand out. The weathered signage, stacked crates, leaning bicycles, mismatched chairs, and layered crates. This minimalist framing draws viewers into each scene, inviting reflection on the cultural significance and quiet continuity embodied by these disappearing storefronts steeped in local history and daily life
Such a poignant reminder that the seemingly ordinary can carry profound stories and timeless beauty.
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