Seulgi Lee's SPAN exhibition at Ikon Gallery explores craft, language, and cross-cultural collaboration

From 25 June to 7 September 2025, the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham will host SPAN, marking the inaugural solo exhibition in the UK for Korean-French artist Seulgi Lee. Born in Seoul in 1972 and residing in Paris since 1992, Lee merges traditional craftsmanship with conceptual art. The display features new works that draw inspiration from Birmingham's craft heritage, including SIX PENCE (2025) in collaboration with Birmingham City University's School of Jewellery. Lee's Blanket Project U series reinterprets quilts as visual proverbs, while the W series (2017–18) showcases woven baskets that honor the Ixcatec language. Collaborators include Suyeon Kim and Minhee Park. Lee's previous exhibitions include La Triennale (2012) and the 10th Gwangju Biennale (2014). SPAN delves into cultural relationality.