Nikki S. Lee

Nikki S. Lee (born Lee Seung-hee) is a South Korean visual artist whose pioneering photographic work fundamentally shifted the conversation surrounding identity, performance, and documentary practice in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Operating at the intersection of photography, film, and sociological investigation, Lee’s practice focuses resolutely on identity as a relational construct, often contrasting with the Western art historical emphasis on the internal, individual self.

Lee’s most significant and extensive body of work is the photographic series Projects (1997-2001). Through this celebrated series, the artist utilized performance art as a preparatory step for the resulting photograph, fully integrating herself into various North American social and ethnic communities. Her methodology was rigorous and prolonged: she adopted the clothing, mannerisms, and psychological attitudes of the group she inhabited. For instance, in both The Lesbian Project and The Yuppie Project, Lee doesn't merely observe or pose alongside the group; she meticulously camouflages herself, allowing the camera to document a moment of fluid, transient belonging.

This strategic immersion, documented in key images like those from The Hispanic Project, yields portraits that function less as traditional self-studies and more as anthropological records of performed identity. Lee’s innovation lies in using the photographic medium not simply to capture objective reality, but to reveal how context and social affiliation actively create reality. The result is a highly influential set of images, produced between 1997 and 2003, that established a new benchmark for performance-driven photography.

One might observe that Lee, in her quest for visual authenticity within multiple disparate contexts, became the ultimate photographic chameleon; her most successful self-portrait is arguably the one that least resembles the persona established in the prior month. Today, works from the Projects series are held in major institutional collections, including the National Gallery of Art, affirming their status as museum-quality images. While widely renowned for her camera work, her output also includes notable films that continue her exploration of persona and social roles. The enduring significance of her contribution ensures that high-quality prints featuring Nikki S. Lee’s work remain highly sought after by collectors worldwide. Lee currently lives and works in Seoul, South Korea.