With the new art museum slowly taking shape, art is emerging as a fresh interest for many tech-immersed students. With respect to the advent of the art sector at KAIST, we met Professor Jinjoon Lee, Assistant Professor at KAIST leading the Art and Technology Center and Total Experience Creative Media Lab (TX Lab). As an active new media artist, professor, and a leading figure in the art scene at KAIST, Professor Lee discussed his views on art and education in this two-part interview.
In Part 1, Professor Lee shares his personal background and experiences at KAIST.
Please introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Dr. Jinjoon Lee, currently serving as an assistant professor, honored to lead the Art and Technology Center at KAIST. My multifaceted background encompasses roles as a sculptor, new media artist, and creative director, offering me a diverse perspective in my artistic endeavors. [For] over two decades, my work [has been] firmly rooted in the convergence of art and technology, aimed at broadening human perception and redefining our interaction with the ever-evolving digital landscape. Within my research and installations, I delve into the realm of 'liminoid experiences.' These unique phenomena manifest in transitional or 'liminal' spaces — those that exist in a state between here and there. My focus lies in exploring empathic spatial encounters generated by intangible elements such as light, sound, and space. I am intrigued by how these elements can be harnessed to stimulate contemplation and evoke emotional responses [that enrich] the human experience.
I hold a Ph.D. from the Ruskin School of Fine Art at the University of Oxford, and MA from Royal College of Art in London after graduation from SNU. I am [also] honored to lead the TX lab at KAIST. Within this creative haven, we are fervently pushing the limits of what can be achieved in the realms of data-driven art and design, sound art, and XR performance for future opera. In essence, my life's work revolves around a profound quest — an exploration into the intricate relationship that binds humans, technology, and the spaces, both tangible and metaphysical, that they inhabit.
How you first got into art seems out of the ordinary. What motivated you to start art?
Indeed, my journey into the world of art may seem rather unconventional, as my academic background initially was at the Business School of Seoul National University. However, I always felt an innate pull towards the creative and expressive dimensions of human experience. My interest in art was not sparked by a sudden epiphany, but rather grew out of a gradual realization that traditional academic and professional paths could not fully satisfy my curiosity about the complex interplay between technology and human consciousness.
From a young age, I found myself drawn to the ethereal qualities of immaterial elements like light, sound, and space. They spoke a universal language that transcended cultural and linguistic barriers. When I was exposed to various artistic mediums and technologies, I saw the immense potential for a new form of artistic expression — one that could meld the emotional resonance of traditional art forms with the ground-breaking possibilities of modern technology.
In particular, the phenomenon of synesthesia had a profound impact on me, as it blurred the boundaries of sensory experiences and offered a fresh perspective on human perception. This blend of the logical and the transcendental, of art and science, fascinated me to no end. So, I pivoted towards a more creative and interdisciplinary career, eventually obtaining degrees in sculpture and then branching out into new media art.
Over time, my artistic endeavors have become a synthesis of these diverse influences, combining rigorous academic inquiry with creative experimentation. They serve as both a mirror and a magnifying glass, reflecting and examining the liminal spaces that exist between the digital and the physical worlds, the objective and the subjective, the natural and the human-engineered. Looking back, it's undeniable that every step of this journey was guided by a force greater than mere chance — it was, in essence, destiny.
What do you feel is the biggest difference between teaching art as a professor and producing art as an artist?
In the realm of academia, teaching art necessitates the articulation of ideas, methods, and theories to facilitate comprehension and discourse. It's a process of scaffolding the intellectual journey for students, guiding them through established philosophies and techniques, from François Jullien's concept of 'de-coincidence' to Walter Benjamin's musings on the 'aura' of artworks in the age of mechanical reproduction. Teaching is fundamentally an act of translation — taking the often “unfathomable” richness of artistic perception and transforming it into structured pedagogy.
In contrast, creating art as an artist is a more unbounded endeavor, a personal and often solitary exploration where one grapples with the 'unfathomable' in real-time. The ideas and theories are not just discussed but lived, breathed, and molded into sensory experiences. As an artist, I operate in what Jullien would describe as a state of 'de-coincidence,' where the convergence of thought, material, and sensation is anything but preordained. The work may manifest as a media installation or sculpture, but it is always a complex choreography of shadows and light, sound and silence, the internal and external — each piece a microcosm of relational systems in the vein of post-humanist thought.
While teaching gives me the platform to analyze and elucidate, artistic creation allows me the freedom to question and explore. One offers a lens to interpret the world, while the other provides the canvas upon which the complexities of that world are rendered in all their “ambiguous” nuance.
What was the most memorable experience you had at KAIST?
The 2022 “What is Art in the Future?” lecture series [was] an intimate dialogue — a series of deep, one-on-one conversations between me and the invited guests that were as illuminating as they were varied. Although I was the moderator, I found myself in a unique position to delve into the intricacies of each guest's expertise while also being the bridge that connected these disparate perspectives into a coherent narrative about the future of art.
Among these conversations, the lecture by [a] renowned poet stood out as a high point. The retired professor brought an artistry to his words that was mesmerizing to witness. Every pause seemed intentional, filled with the kind of thoughtfulness that invited the audience into a moment of reflection. His vocabulary was a carefully chosen palette, and he wielded his words like a master artist applying deliberate brush strokes on a canvas. This lecture was more than just a well-articulated presentation; it served as an exemplification of how language itself can be an art form, elevating everyday communication into something transcendent. The room was held in a sort of reverie, collectively experiencing the gentle ebb and flow between language and silence that the poet so skillfully navigated. It wasn't merely about the spoken word; it was about the pacing, the tempo, the silence — all elements coming together to produce an emotional impact that lingered long after he stepped down from the podium.
To me, this was a vivid reminder of why art matters. In a world where we often find ourselves engulfed in streams of data and ceaseless communication, there is a fundamental need for these types of 'pause' moments where we can detach, however briefly, from the incessant noise and reconnect with deeper, more introspective states. The poet's lecture encouraged us to consider the beauty that can be found in deliberateness, in taking the time to truly think and feel before we speak or act.
This emphasis on depth and reflection is something I wish to carry forward, not just in future editions of the lecture series but also in my role at KAIST. As we contemplate how to integrate art and technology, these humanistic aspects must not be overlooked. While we often focus on innovation and progress, it's essential to remember the value of contemplation, of appreciating art for its capacity to elevate our human experience beyond mere functionality or utility.
What is your goal at the TX Lab?
The goal of the TX Lab is to serve as a global leader in the intersectional field of art, technology, and humanities, guided by our three core pillars — creator group, creative technology group, and humanity group. We aim to pioneer innovative methodologies that transform abstract data into human-centered experiences, integrate the arts and humanities into technological environments, and explore the boundaries between diverging realities like the virtual and the real. Our vision goes beyond traditional academic disciplines; we aspire to foster an environment where technology enhances rather than diminishes our shared human experience. More recently, I intend to publish a substantial number of textbooks with the goal of fostering a robust ecosystem for media art in Korea. Through rigorous academic research, creative projects, and global collaborations, the TX Lab is committed to shaping a future that is not only technologically advanced but also profoundly human.