Born into a family of artists, YehRim Lee has been molding clay since she could walk. “My parents passed down methods of making to me,” Lee said, “and I studied traditional Korean art in university.” Post-undergrad, her artistic horizons expanded as she studied long-standing traditions of experimental ceramic art at Cal State, Long Beach, and Alfred University.

The striking forms, textures, and colors found in her first solo exhibition in the United States here at UMMA, Dopamine Dressing, resulted from a two-year residency at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana. With access to large kilns, she dared to create and go bigger than before by developing her own unique glazing and firing techniques. 

Ceramic work full of movement and brightness is not new to Lee, but for Dopamine Dressing, she dove further and explored how human emotions affect artwork. “I’ve been very interested in exploring notions of overabundance in my work,” Lee explained. “The title of the show comes from the fashion trend of ‘dopamine dressing’–dressing in bright colors to trick the brain into positive emotions.”

Lee proves her ability to experiment and expand with different mediums in Dopamine Dressing, which features a few metalworks alongside her ceramics. “The metal pieces in this show were originally developed to hang from the ceiling in the hallway,” Lee revealed, “but for safety reasons, that original plan was revised. I ended up using the pieces as stand-alone sculptures on the ground, which I think added a nice conversation between mediums in the show.”

“The response so far has been wonderful. I think people really enjoy walking past the exhibit with its large windows,” Lee said. “I have received some messages that the exhibit has livened up the cloudy winter days when they walk through campus.”

In addition to Dopamine Dressing, Lee is currently setting up her own studio in the Joshua Tree area of California. “Once I finish, I hope to continue some of the work I was doing in functional work–lamps, chairs, tables. I am showing some of this work in South Korea soon,” Lee said.

Lee will be visiting UMMA for a brief residency from February 16-22 where she will meet with U-M students in various courses and visitors to Dopamine Dressing before delivering a keynote address at the Penny Stamps Speaker Series on February 21st.

Dopamine Dressing is on view in the Irving Stenn, Jr. Gallery through August 2023.