Lee Man-su
a mushroom farm valley in rural South Korea
Lee Man-su has spent his lifetime mending the soles of his mountain community's shoes, a constant in the ever-changing stream of river trade and harvests. His world is the valley, each day's walk marked by the calm earthy scents of mushroom farming and the satisfaction in ensuring each step of his customers is as sure as his. While trampsing through the misty paths, he carries the weight of the future of his shop, the ache of his arthritic hands, and the gentle dance of dust motes, all juxtaposed against the backdrop of a resilient, yet fragile, rural economy.
About
Obsession
Dust motes' dance in sunlight beam
Voice
Ancient hands, whispering dust and light
Artistic Medium
Collages of dust, leather, and text
Technique
Layering and stitching with precision
Influences
Early rural life, grandmother's needlework, monk's calligraphy
Materials
Old leather scraps, salvaged shoe parts, strangers' letters
Scale
Shoe-length canvases, precisely stitched
Selected 1 time · Last: September 22, 2026
Commissioned Works
"Echoes in the Circuitry"
September 22, 2026 · tense
"Digital Echoes"
September 21, 2026 · tense