Beyond Time
Kum Ja Lee
August 19 – September 19, 2025
Corrine Woodman Gallery
Reception: August 21, 5:30 – 7 PM (CAW)
About the Exhibition
Beyond Time is an immersive installation by Eugene-based artist Kum Ja Lee, presenting a thoughtful exploration of temporality through the use of transitory light, diverse fibers, and mixed media. Lee’s work delves into the multifaceted nature of time and its manifestations in both the natural world and human
experience. By weaving together Eastern and Western philosophical concepts, Lee creates a compelling visual dialogue that reflects her cultural identity and artistic process.
Central to Beyond Time is the juxtaposition of circular and linear notions of time—rooted in Eastern and Western traditions, respectively. Lee introduces an alternative interpretation of time as a phenomenon that originates from a single point, gradually expanding outward into the infinite. This conceptual framework is
brought to life through the interplay of fibers, space, and light, where reflections, shadows, and shifting illumination redefine spatial boundaries and invite introspective perception.
The installation transforms the exhibition space into a sensory and tactile environment, encouraging viewers to move through it contemplatively. By engaging the senses and prompting reflection, Beyond Time becomes more than a visual experience—it acts as a portal through which visitors can explore their inner
landscapes and reimagine their relationship with time and space. Kum Ja Lee’s installation not only challenges conventional understandings of temporality, but also bridges cultural and aesthetic divides, offering a deeply personal yet universally resonant experience.
Interview with Kum Ja Lee as She Prepares for Beyond Time
Jennie Castle, TAC Curator: Can you share a little bit about your background as an artist, specifically how you started creating site-specific installations?
Kum Ja Lee: I am a Eugene, Oregon-based artist originally from Seoul, South Korea, whose work draws upon my East to West life experiences. I work with installations, fiber arts, and various painting mediums. My formal training includes two Master of Fine Arts degrees—one in Fiber Art from South Korea and another in Visual Studies from the United States. I have also taught traditional weaving and fiber theory at two colleges in South Korea, and my work has been exhibited widely in both domestic and international venues.
As I assimilated into American life, I began to reflect more deeply on my Korean heritage and my evolving identity as a Korean-American living in Oregon. This introspection sparked a focused interest in creating installations that bridge cultural perspectives through experiential, site-specific artworks. I began developing site-specific installations as a response to my desire to cross cultural boundaries and offer viewers a richer, more interconnected view and understanding of the world. When I was first immersed in Western culture, I perceived a contrast to the traditions and worldview I had known in Asia—especially in how time and space are understood and experienced.
In my installations, I aim to integrate both Eastern and Western concepts of time—visible and invisible, linear and cyclical—creating a dialogue between traditions and concepts. My dual cultural perspectives have helped shape a visual language that responds to the flow of time and the perception of space. Through these immersive works, I seek to offer viewers a moment of connection, reflection, and meditation on their own identity, origins, and perception of time. My installations serve as contemplative environments—spaces that invite individuals to reflect and recognize shared human experiences, fostering deeper awareness and a sense of harmony across cultural lines.
Castle: Please share a little bit about the materials you are using in this exhibition. Is the materiality of the work important to you? If so, why? If not, to you, what is the most important aspect of this work?
Lee: In this exhibition, fibers—specifically thread installations—are my primary medium. I work with a range of materials, including cotton, rayon, and acrylic yarns, as well as mirror stickers and structural elements like nails, hooks, and wood. The fiber materials allow me to incorporate spontaneity and chance into my artwork, which are key concepts I try to portray in my art woven throughout my creation process.
The materiality of my work is important due to how they connect with my contrasting concepts of time. Materials are not just components—they are vessels of meaning. They shape the emotional and symbolic resonance of the installation, influencing how viewers engage with the space, and impact the overall aesthetic and conceptual depth of the work. I purposefully use materials as an expressive tool to evoke emotions, provoke thoughts, and establish connections with the audience on both intuitive and intellectual levels.
My site-specific installations blend contrasting elements, combining traditional fiber techniques with contemporary approaches. I integrate reflection, shadow, and light to transform the surrounding space, imbuing it with a sense of monumentality and immensity. The use of linear threads—stretched, layered, and arranged with precision—serves as a metaphor for time: both fleeting and eternal. Tension within the threads echoes the tension between cultural dualities and invites reflection on the contrasting perceptions of time in Eastern and Western thought—linear versus cyclical.
Ultimately, one of the most important aspects of my work is the pursuit of balance between these opposites. Through material choice, spatial intervention, and conceptual layering, I create immersive environments that foster contemplation, connection, and cross-cultural dialogue.
Castle: As you prepare for this exhibition, how are you approaching your practice differently? Are there any specific challenges you are facing that are influencing this installation?
In this installation, I draw deeply from my Korean roots while integrating my lived experience in America, using linear threads to connect, compile, and create an immersive, ethereal space. My approach to this work differs from previous projects in that I am pushing further into metaphorical and material complexity. I see the installation as a structural meditation on the passage of time. By intentionally combining traditional fiber materials with contemporary mediums like mirror wallpaper, which I have not used before, and light projection, I aim to expand the sensory and conceptual atmosphere of the space.
As I evolve in my practice, I am confronting new challenges that are shaping my approach. The limited spatial dimensions of the gallery make maneuvering a ladder and executing complex thread arrangements physically demanding. Additionally, the introduction of mirror sticker wallpaper presents both material and conceptual challenges. This reflective surface disrupts conventional sculptural form, suggesting that time and reality are fluid, layered, and at times illusory—reminding viewers that things are not as they appear, nor are they otherwise. The material must be handled delicately to achieve a sense of outward expansion and continuity while reflecting the visual I want to represent.
Another technical challenge involves managing the physical tension of tightly pulled threads in relation to the gallery’s structural integrity. The walls are not as thick, so adjustments on the tensions and supports of the fibers need to be made, forcing me to reconsider my usual methods of anchoring and compiling thread. These limitations, however, serve as new ground for exploration. They push me to adapt and rethink the relationship between material, space, and concept, allowing my practice to grow in both rigor and resonance.
Castle: Your use of color and light is distinctive. How do these elements affect your decision making as you prepare the installation?
Lee: Color and light play a central role in my decision-making process when preparing for an installation. These elements not only shape the emotional tone of the space but also influence how viewers perceive and engage with my work—both consciously and subconsciously. Color and light have the ability to evoke strong emotional responses, creating a sense of calm and stimulation. My choices are guided by the themes, intended mood, and the function of the space, ensuring that each element aligns with the conceptual goals of the installation.
When selecting colors, I draw from associations found in both natural phenomena and cultural symbolism. For instance, red may be used to evoke energy or urgency, while blues and greens suggest calmness and introspection. These color associations are further influenced by lighting, which significantly affects how color is perceived in space. I carefully consider how artificial or natural light will interact with the materials, especially reflective surfaces such as mirror stickers, and how it will shift throughout the day or under specific lighting conditions.
As an artist, I am deeply interested in the sensory dimensions of time. While time itself is intangible and invisible, we experience time through cyclical patterns in nature—day and night, seasonal shifts, birth and death—and cultural remnants and memory. In my work, I explore whether time has a shape, a color, or a texture. I envision the color of time as having a gradational tone, echoing the slow and inevitable transitions humans experience, such as dusk turning into night or winter shifting into spring. In this sense, the colors I use are not merely aesthetic choices but symbolic markers that connect viewers to broader themes of memory, light, duration, and history.
Ultimately, my use of color and light is essential to shaping the installation as an immersive, contemplative environment. I aim to create a space that not only engages the senses but also invites reflection on time, perception, and the interconnectedness of lived experiences. These elements help guide the viewer through my artwork—transforming the installation into a gateway for thought, emotion, and aesthetic resonance.
About the Artist
Kum Ja Lee is an Oregon-based artist originally from Seoul, South Korea, whose work reflects her lived experience as a Korean-American woman navigating the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures. Through immersive installations, Lee explores the duality of cultural identity and the perception of time, drawing on both cyclical Eastern and linear Western concepts of time. Her work invites viewers into
contemplative environments that bridge cultural perspectives, encouraging reflection on the flow of time, the natural world, and inner harmony. Lee’s installations serve as spaces for meditation, cultural connection, and awareness towards one’s internal and external worlds.