H e l e n L e e

BIO

Helen Lee (she/they) was born and raised in Chicago to immigrant parents from South Korea. She received her MFA with a focus in Performance and Film from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and BA in Dance with a minor in Theatre from University of Hawaii at Manoa. She has presented works in the US, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Iceland, Finland and Canada. She has been awarded Chicago Artist Coalition's (CAC) SPARK Grant, SAIC’s Graduate Dean Professional Development Award to attend The Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics Convergence hosted by York University, was Chicago Moving Company’s D49 Awardee and Affiliate Artist for Dance Shelter. They were named 2022 Newcity Breakout Artist: Chicago’s Next Generation of Image Makers, was a finalist for 2023 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist, had a solo exhibition at CICA Museum in South Korea, a window exhibition at Roots and Culture gallery and has been a recipient for several artist residencies including CAC HATCH, Links Hall Co-MISSION, DanceBridge at Chicago Cultural Center, Butoh Centrum MAMU, Arteles Creative Center, Fish Factory - Creative Centre of Stöðvarfjörður, KuBa: kulturbahnhof, Cel del Nord to name a few. Their performance works and/or writings have been published in “Emergency INDEX" Volume 8 & 9 by Ugly Duckling Press, CICA Art Now 2019, antirrhinum Issue 2: Hauntings, Quince Magazine, Issue Three: Winter 2020-21 and films have been presented by Chicago Park District’s Chicago OnScreen, New Blood Festival XII and Experimental Dance Virginia. 

STATEMENT
My work is rooted in a deep investigation of honoring and celebrating life, death, cultural identity and ancestral lineage. I create performances that weave movement, storytelling, video, plant medicine, taxidermy, installation and/or social practice that examine facets of trauma, racism, grief, joy, healing and meanings of home. Many of my curiosities lean towards the subtle, the frenetic, the senses and internal shifts that happen within, around and in between spaces. I am intrigued and driven by how these elements can bring connection, disruption and evolution to self, others, truth and nature.

From 2007-2015, the works I created were performed outdoors at site specific locations such as lighthouses, gardens and lakefronts. These works often asked audiences to travel the outdoor landscape with me and explored ways to enhance and diminish the senses. Some explorations included: ripping up fruits emitting a fragrance, releasing ladybugs (perhaps one would land on you) and guiding the audience to walk or run with their eyes closed.

During my MFA program 2017-2019 at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I began to look at my mother's isolation and language barrier. And later, my father's relationship to anger and animals.

This exploration has strengthened my determination to break down barriers and build allyship. Much of the work I create is from my memories and experiences of being born and raised in Chicago by South Korean immigrant parents. I believe that in all of my works, I am trying to share a glimpse, teach people how to navigate the many terrains of their inner landscapes and be with their shadows as a way to mend, heal, accept and forgive.

In the summer of 2021, I worked in partnership with See Chicago Dance, Out of Site and Chicago Park Districts to bring "Weaving Cocoons; Colliding Monarchs" a work bringing awareness to Black and Asian lives that have been taken due to hate and Black and Asian allyship through the imagery of butterflies, cocoons and wars. My hope is the work I create can help build and expand DEI, amplify the voices of Korean Americans, making our narratives more visible while building authentic, meaningful connections and building solidarity in the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.

CV
Helen Lee
Chicago, IL
momentumsensorium@gmail.com

Area of Focus
Performance · Film · Writing

Education
2019 MFA Studio, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Performance; Film/Video)
2003 BA Dance, minor in Acting, University of Hawaii at Manoa (Choreography; Directing)
1999 AA English, Wilbur Wright College, Chicago, IL (Literature; Writing)

Teaching Experience
2020 Teaching Online Art School Prep Classes, Art Club, Yein Lee, Seoul, Korea
2020 Butterfly Pinning Workshop, SimSim Studio, Seoul, Korea
2020 Butterfly Pinning Workshop, KiraraAn Exhibition, Hokuto, Japan
2020 Butterfly Pinning Workshop, AnswerKnocks, Kofu, Japan
2020 Vegan Kimchi Making Workshop, KiraraAn Exhibition, Hokuto, Japan
2018 Teaching Assistant, Performance: Movement/Presence: Body as Site, Ginger Krebs, SAIC
2018 Teaching Assistant,Film/Video/New Media: Fusions of Performance Film&Video, Danielle Wilmouth, SAIC
2017 Teaching Assistant,Contemporary Practices: CoreStudio Practice I, D.Lozano & C.Shallenberg, SAIC
2010 Guest Teacher for Master Dance Class, 1306 — Ten Years Later, The Dance Center of Columbia College

Selected Exhibitions, Performances, Screenings
2023
“Curiosities of Wellness in Bodies of Grief and Joy”, High Concept Labs, Chicago, IL
”In a Mammoth Cocoon”, See Chicago Dance Awards Presentation and Celebration, Venue West, Chicago, IL
”Curiosities of Wellness in Bodies of Grief”, High Concept Labs, Chicago, IL
”Pressed Down” Relative Intensity Noise, Elastic Arts, Chicago, IL
”Masks. Armours. Shells.” APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi South American) Arts Festival, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Chicago, IL

2022
”Julie” Co-MISSION Festival of New Works, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
Newcity Breakout Artist Exhibition in partnership with EXPO Chicago & Chicago Artist Coalition

2021
“Weaving Cocoons; Colliding Monarchs” (Video)WIP Showing for Co-Mission at Links Hall, Chicago, IL
“Everyday we live, we move closer to death” Window Exhibition, Roots & Culture, Chicago
“Deep Cuts” Duo exhibition with Nat Pyper, curated by Joan Carol, Chicago Artist Coalition
”I sense something has changed.” HATCH Chicago Artists Coalition (August 2021)
”Dreaming of Cocoons in a Butterfly War”, See Chicago Dance Month, Dance Scavenger Hunt, McKinley Park
”Mending Cocoons in a Butterfly War” (Performance and Exhibition) 3D4D, Chicago, IL
“Covid Masterpieces" (Online Exhibition) La Fenice Art Gallery Hong Kong

2020
“I love you. I kill you. (A Virtual Dinner)” Virtual Performance. Zoom.
“Dreaming of Cocoons” (Performance/Installation), KiraraAn, Hokuto, Japan
“Untitled: A mini collection” (Video for Exhibition), KiraraAn, Hokuto, Japan
“BloodyBy War” (Performance/Installation), Kotobuki House, Kofu, Japan
“Inside the Landscapes” Onscreen At Home Film Festival, Chicago Park District. Web.
“Quarantine Hospital-ity”, Digital Gallery, Corona Art Gallery, @coronart.gallery, Instagram
“The Crying Cabinet” (Performance) AIRY, Kofu-City, Yamanashi, Japan
“I love you. I kill you.” (Performance) AIRY, Kofu-City, Yamanashi, Japan
“Where will this road lead us?” (Video for Exhibition) AIRY, Kofu-City, Yamanashi, Japan

2019
"Removing the dead…” (Site Specific Performance) Klein Warnow, Germany
“A funeral for two birds” (Site Specific Performance) Stöðvarfjörður, Iceland
“I love you. I kill you.” (Performance & Group Exhibition) Zhou B Art Center, dfbrl8r, Chicago, IL
“The Crying Cabinet” (Group Exhibition) his-ter’-ee-ah, ARC Gallery, Chicago, IL
“Home” (Film Screening), Living for Love, Hope for the Day, Oklahomo, Chicago, IL

2018
“The Crying Cabinet” (Installation Performance), SAIC Sharp Studios, Chicago, IL
“I don’t want to be a mom” (Film Screening) New Blood XII, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
“a glimpse of me, my mom”(Installation Performance)A-Squared Asian American Arts Festival,Links Hall,Chicago
“It’s raining furiously” (Installation Performance) Recipes for Madeleines, SAIC SITE Galleries, Chicago, IL
“a glimpse of me, my mom” (Group Exhibition) Recipes for Madeleines, SAIC SITE Galleries, Chicago, IL
“a glimpse of me, my mom” (Interactive Installation) Back to Basics, Arteles Creative Center, Finland
“Mommeee” (Installation Performance) New Media Art Conference, CICA Museum, South Korea
“a glimpse of me, my mom” (Solo Exhibition) Young Korean Artists, CICA Museum, South Korea
“Dear Mom”(Performance)In Motion:Performance&Unsettling Borders, Northwestern University,Axis Lab,Chicago
“a glimpse of me, my mom” (Interactive Installation Performance), SAIC Sharp Studios, Chicago, IL

2017
“엄마” (Installation Performance) Jello, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
“a glimpse of me, my mom” (Traveling Performance), SAIC Columbus Performance Space, Chicago, IL
“a glimpse of me, my mom” (Works In Progress Showing) Research Project #14, Outerspace, Chicago, IL
“OPEN/CLOSED: Stories on precarious issues...moms”(Curator of Group Performance) SAIC OS Night, Chicago
“Home” (Film Screening) Chicago OnScreen, Chicago Park District, Northerly Island Park, Chicago

2016
“Watermelon Graveyard” (Performance) Dance Shelter, Chicago Moving Company, Hamlin Park, Chicago,IL
“Lighthouse Project V”(Site Specific) Michigan Lighthouse Conservency, Muskegon South Pierhead, Muskegon

2015
“DearTravel”(Traveling Group Performance)TenThousand Ripples,Chicago Park District, Fullerton LSD
“Dear Travel: Are we there yet?” (Traveling Performance) D49, Hamlin Park, CMC, Chicago,IL

2014
“Lighthouse Project IV”(Site Specific) SPLKA, North Breakwater Lighthouse, Ludingtion, MI
“Pulp Vessel” (Site Specific Group Performance) Winthrop Harmony Arts Garden, Chicago, IL

2013
“Lighthouse Project III”(Site Specific) SPLKA, White River Lightstation, Whitehall, MI
“Shanti Ahimisa” (Performance) Collaboration w/Indira Johnson, TenThousandRipples, LUMA, Chicago,IL

2012 “Lighthouse Project II”(Site Specific) SPLKA, Big Sable Lighthouse, Ludingtion, MI
2011 “Lighthouse Project I”(Site Specific) SPLighthouse Keepers Association, Little Sable Lighthouse, Mears, MI
2010 “It’s ok not to know” (Performance) Women's Work: Women's Choreographic Voices, praxis place, Chicago
2009 “It’s ok not to know” (Performance) co-produced with The Humans, Links Hall, Chicago, IL
2008 “...a dab”, (Site Specific Group Performance) Looptopia, 55 E Wacker, Chicago, IL
2007 “Pulp Vessel” (Site Specific Group Performance) Looptopia, 1 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL

Residencies
2023-24 Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, IL
2023 High Concept Labs, Chicago, IL
2023 Wedding Cake House, Providence, RI
2023 Silence Awareness Existence, Arteles Creative Center, Finland
2021-22 Links Hall Co-MISSION,  Chicago, IL
2021-22 Chicago Artist Coalition HATCH Residency, Chicago, IL
2020 Cel del Nord Virtual Residency, June 7-12, July 19-24, Barcelona, Spain
2020 KiraraAn, Hokuto, Japan
2020 Kotobuki House, Kofu, Japan
2020 AIRY Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan
2019 KuBa: kulturbahnhof, Klein Warnow, Germany
2019 Fish Factory - Creative Centre of Stöðvarfjörður, Iceland
2018 Back to Basics, Arteles Creative Center, Finland
2015 Butoh Centrum MAMU, Göttingen, Germany
2007 DanceBridge Residency, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago Cultural Center

Awards, Grants, Scholarships
2024 Chicago DanceMakers Forum Lab Artist
2023-24 DCASE Dance Residency
2023 Chicago DanceMakers Forum Lab Artist Finalist
2022 Chicago Artist Coalition SPARK Grant
2022 Newcity Breakout Artist: Chicago’s Next Generation of Image Makers
2021 Chicago Artist Microgrant
2020 3Arts ARF Grant, Chicago, IL
2017-2019 Grace & Walter Byron Smith Scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
2017 Graduate Dean Professional Development Award, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
2016 Affiliate Artist for Chicago Moving Company’s Dance Shelter
2015 Chicago Moving Company’s D49 Awardee

Publications
Quince Magazine, Issue Three: Winter 2020-21”, edited by Devina Shah. Web.
Emergency Index Vol 9, edited by Zoe Guttenplan, Ugly Duckling Press, New York, Print.
antirrhinum Issue 2: Hauntings, edited by Jill Moshman, Kirsten Aguilar and Lauren Zallo, JKL Collective, October 2019, Chicago. Web.
CICA Art Now 2019, edited by Leejin Kim, Seungsub Baik, Songhee Lee and Nokyeoung Han, Amazon, 2019, South Korea. eBook.
Emergency Index Vol 8, edited by Yelena Guzman, Sophia Cleary and Zoe Guttenplan, Ugly Duckling Press, New York, Print.

Interviews/Articles
2023 Interview with Helen Lee, Northwestern Art Review, Aimmee Resnick. Web.
2022 Breakout Artists 2022: Chicago’s Next Generation of Image Makers, Kerry Cardoza, Newcity. Print. Web.
2021 Artist Focus with Helen Lee, Out of Site, Carron Little. Live Streamed. YouTube.
2020 Being Tea Conversations: Artist Helen Lee Suzette Hammond, Being Tea, Vimeo.
2019 Artist In Residency 2019 Interview Fish Factory - Creative Centre of Stöðvarfjörður. YouTube.
2017 Meet Helen Lee of Momentum Sensorium, Voyage Chicago, September 2017. Web.
2014 WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin. 95.3 FM Muskegon. Radio.
2014 Momentum Sensorium dancers to perform at Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse, Steve Begnoche, Ludington Daily News
2013 WGVU Morning Show with Shelley Irwin. 95.3 FM Muskegon. Radio.

Selected Press, Reviews
2023 APIDA Arts Festival, Around Town, WGN News, Chicago, IL
2016 'Dance Shelter 2016': Experiments prosper under one roof Laura Molzahn, Chicago Tribune
2009 The Humans and Momentum Sensorium Laura Molzahn, Chicago Reader
2002 A haunting tale upholds the best late-night tradition John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
2002 No shrinking violets put on ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
2001 Goods and Lee give the devil his due John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
2000 ‘Talker’ reaches thrilling heights John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin