Growing up the son of immigrant Korean parents, I often find myself situated between cultures. I've had the duel experiences of being a minority in my own country, and being an outsider in the country of my heritage. My work allows me to re-interpret and confront questions of place and belonging. Having begun my artistic career learning Asian pottery techniques in a Western education system, I am also continually investigating the sources and ownership of cultural influence.
—Steven Young Lee
Originally from Chicago, currently based in Helena, Montana, Steven Young Lee was the resident director of the Archie Bray Foundation for sixteen years from 2006 to 2022. In 2004-05, he lectured and taught at numerous universities throughout China as part of a one-year cultural and educational exchange in Jingdezhen, Shanghai and Beijing. In 2005-6 he was a visiting professor at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. He received his BFA and MFA in Ceramics from Alfred University. Steve's work has been collected by the Smithsonian Museum, the Daum Museum of Contemporary Art, the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, Korea, as well as many private collectors.