Tentacles, pearls, and holy taboos: Inside Joyce Lee’s archive of the ethereal and obscene

In Joyce Lee’s universe, beauty and the bizarre are deeply intertwined. Tentacles and pearls; hot wax and butterflies; a skeleton dressed in ribbons and nuns with tattoos. Pairing the ethereal and obscene, these paintings fuse high culture and trash culture in a provocative exploration of religion, eroticism and social stigmas.

Joyce’s interest in such themes stem from her upbringing in South Korea – a place where “traditional values intersect with modern life” – its culture is infamous for its deeply rooted social expectations. “Growing up, I faced pressure to conform to tradition, especially regarding sexuality and artistic expression,” she says. As an artist, this sparked an interest in taboo topics like eroticism and religion. “I find it fascinating to explore the connections between desire and spirituality. These two aspects of life can seem opposing, yet they coexist within us.”

Joyce’s latest book Archive, published by Baron, presents 150 images from her ongoing oeuvre, offering a peek into her sensual and surreal universe. In many images, Joyce reworks religious symbols with a modern twist. Nuns have tongue piercings, for example, and they receive holy communion in the form of heart-shaped chocolate. “By presenting nuns as complex characters with desires, I invite viewers to reconsider their perceptions of faith,” Joyce explains. “I want my art to reflect the complexities of the human mind and relationships, where pleasure and pain, love and loss, exist side by side.”

Inspired by surrealists like Salvador Dali and René Magritte, Joyce pays close attention to texture and light by layering acrylic paint, then adding watercolour and pencil for depth. “Each medium has unique qualities [… ] For instance, I love the vibrancy of acrylics for the background, but I also enjoy the softness of watercolours, which allows for delicate colour transitions when depicting objects,” she says. Contrasting light and shadow is important, to make certain elements pop while keeping others subdued and enhancing the overall mood of the piece. “I want my art to feel both familiar and otherworldly, inviting viewers to explore the complexities of desire, faith, and the human experience.”

These images could be read as obscene, provocative and suggestive, but they’re also delicate and ethereal. There is both humour and beauty in a singular pearl – iridescent and gleaming – dressed in crotchless lace underwear, floating against a midnight sky. For Joyce, this clash of absurdity and eroticism is a means to spark dialogue. “I believe art should get people talking,” she says. “My goal is to create pieces that not only catch the eye but also encourage people to see the world around us in new ways.”