Special Interview – The China Post ： Prof. Lee Sun-Don

In Search of the Golden Ratio
Sun-Don Lee believes that math is an auxiliary tool
in his work

Mathematics and art have a long relationship. Starting from ancient Egyptians and Greeks, there are many examples of artists who have been inspired by mathematics in designing their works.

Taiwanese artist Sun-Don Lee is surely one of them. In his own works, he believes that art is science and science is art. “All art can fit the golden ratio. If you want to mater art, you need to understand math because all elements in the picture are related to ratio and balance.” He told The China Post during last week’s Art Revolution Taipei.

For him, science doesn’t restrict his creativity. Instead, math is an auxiliary tool in his work. “When finishing one of my paintings two weeks ago, I felt something was missing, but I couldn’t tell at that moment. A day later, I thought about adding some light to fill the empty space and decorate the mountains with some lively light and shadows. That is balance,” he said.

Standing in front of Lee’s paintings, you are immersed in a sense of tranquility and power. Mountains, rivers and temples are the main elements of his new series. “Wonderful Attainment” , which shapes the mood of Lee’s landscape paintings.

Instead of painting sceneries in a realistic way, the artist aims to show his reflection of an “ideal place.” Under his paint brush, The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile in Paris is turned into an arch bridge between two mountains. Beneath, Lee painted ships rather than cars or carriages. For him, the painting presents the old glory of Paris.

“Because I live in a temple, I always think ‘where should I build my temple whenever I visit a new place?’” he added.

In recent years, Lee’s work has become increasingly sophisticated. He not only observes with his eyes, but also with his heart.

He holds the strong belief that every painting has its own vibe, which is the spiritual power rooted in the artist’s mind. “It’s interesting, we use the same material, and draw the same thing, but the results are different.”

To further improve his art, Lee said he reads and travels a lot, and he is also an accomplish novelist and musician. Ten hours a day, seven days a week, he devotes all his time to his art. He claims that he barely has a social life and doesn’t like to be involved in conversation. Even dining is considered a waste of time.

“I only have one meal per day, which only takes me five minutes to eat, and I have had this habit for 25 years.” Noting that many things grow in a garden even though they were never sown, Lee remarks that art, which was supposed to be a tool to help him progress in his Buddhist studies, has now become a full-time career.