Sungjae Lee

Sungjae Lee is a Lecturer in Performance Art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), specializing in queer Asian masculinities and body politics. His work interrogates racialized desires, visibility, and identity through interdisciplinary mediums including sculpture, performance, and installation.

Education:

• BFA in Sculpture, Seoul National University
• MFA in Performance Art, SAIC

Research Interests: Lee's practice challenges Western-centric masculinity norms through tactile installations and participatory performances. He explores themes of desexualization, cultural hybridity, and the politics of representation, using materials like clay, human hair, and text-based installations to reconstruct narratives of queer Asian experiences.

Awards:

• 2024 Chicago Artadia Awards Finalist
• 2022-2023 Kala Art Institute Fellowship
• Franklin Furnace Fund 2021-22
• 2020 AHL Foundation Artist Fellowship

Advising & Collaborations: Lee has collaborated with artists like Jackson Neal and Jay Carlon on interactive installations. His pedagogy emphasizes critical engagement with cultural institutions through SAIC courses like Research Studio I and The Inadequate Body.

Residencies: Includes ACRE, High Concept Labs, Yaddo, Vermont Studio Center, and others.