Lee ShinJa (b. 1930) is a pioneering first-generation Korean fiber artist and educator. During the 1950s and 60s, when working with thread and fabric was considered domestic labor, Lee broke new ground in the evolution of applied arts in Korea. Against the conventions of traditional craft, she experimented with modern formal techniques, driving innovations in embroidery, dyeing, weaving, and tapestry to expand the breadth and depth of the genre, which at the time was still unestablished.

In the mid-1990s, Lee began integrating metal elements crafted by her eldest daughter into her work. Encounter is a striking example of her ability to seamlessly unify contrasting materials—rigid metal and supple textile—into a harmonious composition.