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Charcoal artist Lee Bae's moon house project comes full circle with fiery finish

Published: 14 Feb. 2025, 14:57 Updated: 14 Feb. 2025, 16:13

SHIN MIN-HEE
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A daljip taeugi (moon house burning) ceremony hosted by Lee Bae takes place in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang, on Feb. 12, the day of Jeongwol Daeboreum, or the first full moon of the year. [SHIN MIN-HEE]

CHEONGDO COUNTY, North Gyeongsang — Lee Bae, the 68-year-old Korean artist famous for his extensive use of charcoal, recently concluded a one-year journey that connected his rural hometown in Korea with Venice, Italy, through a daljip taeugi (moon house burning) ceremony.

Except this time, the ritual was in the absence of a moon house. Lee instead burned down an entire islet on Cheongdo Stream.

Artist Lee Bae speaks during his daljip taeugi (moon house burning) ceremony in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang, on Feb. 12, the day of Jeongwol Daeboreum, or the first full moon of the year. [SHIN MIN-HEE]

A moon house here refers to a pile of straw, pine branches and firewood in the shape of an igloo, which earned its name from being burned on the first full moon of the year, or Jeongwol Daeboreum — an occasion that falls on Jan. 15 of the lunar calendar. The daljip taeugi ritual has historically been conducted since the days of the agrarian society as a symbol to ward off bad luck and wish for an abundant harvest.

Lee initially held this ceremony on Feb. 24, 2024, in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang, to kick-start his solo exhibition at the Wilmotte Foundation in Venice, titled “La Maison de la Lune Brûlée,” as part of the biennale’s official collateral event. The name roughly translates to “The House of the Burnt Moon.”

The Venice exhibition ran from April to November last year.

Lee’s version of the folk ritual has layers of meaning besides being a good-luck charm: It’s a reflection of Korea’s tradition and an opportunity to introduce his proud roots to an international audience, reinterpreted through contemporary art. After the ceremony last year, the remaining charcoal was then used for the paintings and installations at the Venice exhibition. Lee documented the daljip taeugi from this event and created the video installation “Burning” (2024).

Aerial view of Lee Bae's daljip taeugi (moon house burning) ceremony before undergoing combustion in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang, on Feb. 12, the day of Jeongwol Daeboreum, or the first full moon of the year. [JOHYUN GALLERY]

And on Wednesday, the latest daljip taeugi ritual became a poetic tribute to the end of a cycle, all while hinting at revival.

“Burning doesn’t refer to extinction; it’s an act of renewal,” Lee told reporters at the scene that day. The same theme can be seen through his work with charcoal — the artist gives these black carbon residues a fresh breath of life through his works.

“It’s a nod to past elements and giving them a new beginning,” he continued. “The completion of a cycle has always been an incredibly important motif in my work. That’s why I am burning an image of my own painting this time.”

An islet 200 meters (656 feet) wide and 35 meters in length, roughly 10,000 square meters (2.47 acres), located on a very icy Cheongdo Stream, was being prepared for its farewell. Lee printed a digital copy of his painting “Brushstroke” (2024) as large as the islet to cover it. Beneath the banner were bundles of tree branches, New Year’s wishes from people all around the world and ripped-up pieces of marouflage paper that were used in the Venice exhibition. The islet would soon be burned entirely.

"Brushstroke" (2024) by Lee Bae during his solo exhibition "La Maison de la Lune Brulee," as part of the 60th Venice Biennale's official collateral event [JOHYUN GALLERY]

Artist Lee Bae paints his famed charcoal artworks. [JOHYUN GALLERY]

Dozens of guests were present, either from the village or the art industry, busily chatting away in anticipation of the ritual. Tents were already erected along a long countryside road that overlooked the stream, and guests inside feasted on food normally eaten on Jeongwol Daeboreum, like patjuk (red bean porridge), tteok (rice cake) and eomuk (fish cake). The firefighters on site seemed to be enjoying themselves as well.

As the clock struck 5 p.m., Lee stood in front of an ignition button outside and gathered guests for a brief prayer. He then pressed the button and sparks from the islet flew into the sky.

Despite initial worries that the sleet that day would hinder the fire, parts of the islet slowly, bit by bit, started burning. In less than an hour, the already opaque, cloudy sky became increasingly murkier with dense smoke.

A firefighter who had been on the other side of the stream came running, telling his colleagues: “It’s a relief the smoke isn’t coming toward this way — I almost suffocated over there!”

Spectators continued gazing at the combusting islet for a couple more hours as the sun went down, presumably in awe of its burning sensation, or simply to wish for good fortune in the year ahead.

Artist Lee Bae during his daljip taeugi (moon house burning) ceremony in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang, on Feb. 12, the day of Jeongwol Daeboreum, or the first full moon of the year. [SHIN MIN-HEE]

The concept of the daljip taeugi was straightforward, but it required the assistance of numerous people. Lee acknowledged that unlike his previous works, like paintings or installations, he would not have been able to host this event on his own. Even for the Venice exhibition, he explained, he collaborated with many others, especially for his video work.

“From the production to logistics, all these things amount to the entire artwork,” he said. “It proves that art is a powerful form of communication. It’s all part of the circulation.”

Lee likened himself to naengi, or shepherd’s purse, which is a common type of namul, or seasoned vegetable, in Korea.

“The scent of naengi elicits childhood memories of running around in the countryside, something that those who’ve never tried tasting wouldn't know,” he said. “It’s the best food in the world. I’m not shy about saying that I grew up like a rustic naengi. Rather, it’s essentially helped me dream up a completely new paradigm, helping me get all the way over to Venice.”

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [[email protected]]