Lisson Gallery

Lee Ufan

Painter, sculptor, writer and philosopher Lee Ufan came to prominence in the late 1960s as one of the major theoretical and practical proponents of the avant-garde Mono-ha (Object School) group. The Mono-ha school of thought was Japan’s first contemporary art movement to gain international recognition. It rejected Western notions of representation, focusing on the relationships of materials and perceptions rather than on expression or intervention.The artists of Mono-ha present works made of raw physical materials that have barely been manipulated. In 1991 Lee Ufan began his series of Correspondance paintings, which consist of just one or two grey-blue brushstrokes, made of a mixture of oil and crushed stone pigment, applied onto a large white surface. His sculptural series Relatum is equally minimal: each work is comprised of one or more light-colored round stones and dark, rectangular iron plates. The dialectical relationship between brushstroke and canvas is mimicked in the relationship between stone and iron plate. In Ufan’s installations space is at the same time untouched and engaged, at the confines between doing and non-doing. The relationship between painted / unpainted and occupied / empty space lies at the heart of Lee Ufan’s practice.

Lee Ufan was born on June 24th, 1936, in Kyongnam, South Korea. He studied calligraphy, poetry and painting at the College of Kyongnam and the University of Seoul. His work has been shown at Dia Beacon, Beacon, USA (long term view); National Art Center, Tokyo, Japan (2022); Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Park, Washington, USA (2019-2020); Pompidou Metz, Metz, France (2019); Serpentine Galleries, London, UK (2018); Couvent de la Tourette, Eveux, France (2017); Centre de Création Contemporaine Olivier Debré, Tours, France (2017); Château La Coste, Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, France (2016); Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France (2014); Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY, USA (2011), Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium (2009); the Yokohama Museum of Art, Yokohama, Japan (2005); the Musée d’Art Moderne de Saint-Etienne Métropole, Rhône-Alpes, France (2005); the Samsung Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, South Korea (2003); Kunstmuseum Bonn, Germany (2001); the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, Paris, France (1997); and the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea (1994). He was awarded the Praemium Imperiale for painting in 2001 and the UNESCO Prize in 2000. In 2010 the Lee Ufan Museum, designed by Tadao Ando, opened at Benesse Art Site, Naoshima, Japan.

 

Recent, current and forthcoming projects

‘Lee Ufan’, Hamburger Bahnhof Berlin (27 October 2023 - 1 March 2024)

Response

Lee Ufan
Response

2021

Acrylic on canvas. 227.5 x 182 x 6.2 cm

 

Response

Lee Ufan
Response

2021

Acrylic on canvas. 227.5 x 181.5 x 6.3 cm.

Response

Lee Ufan
Response

2021

Acrylic on paper. 76 x 56 cm.

Lee Ufan, Dialogue

Lee Ufan
Lee Ufan, Dialogue

2019
Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms

Relatum-Stage

Lee Ufan
Relatum-Stage

2018
Two steel panels, two stones, concrete base Stones: 60 x 60 cm / 23 5/8 x 23 5/8 in & 130 x 120 cm / 51 1/4 x 47 1/4 in Steel panels each: 200 x 150 x 3 cm / 78 3/4 x 59 1/8 x 1 1/4 in Concrete base: 50 x 450 x 400 cm / 19 3/4 x 177 1/8 x 157 1/2 in

Dialogue

Lee Ufan
Dialogue

2017
Watercolour on paper 75 x 106 cm / 29 1/2 x 41 3/4 in

Dialogue

Lee Ufan
Dialogue

2016
Oil on canvas 218 x 241 cm / 85 7/8 x 94 7/8 in.

Relatum

Lee Ufan
Relatum

2016
Four curved steel bars and stone 367cm x 308cm / 144 1/2 x 121 1/4 in.

Dialogue

Lee Ufan
Dialogue

2014
Oil on canvas 218 x 291 x 6cm / 86 x 114 1/2 x 2 1/2 in.

Dialogue

Lee Ufan
Dialogue

2014
Oil on canvas 93 x 73 x 4 cm / 36 1/2 x 29 x 1 1/2 in.

Dialogue

Lee Ufan
Dialogue

2014
Oil on canvas 93 x 73 x 4 cm / 36 1/2 x 29 x 1 1/2 in.

Dialogue

Lee Ufan
Dialogue

2014
Installation view Lisson Gallery, London

Relatum - Rest

Lee Ufan
Relatum - Rest

2013
Gravel, glass, steel, stone Glass 250 x 250 x 2 cm / 98 1/2 x 98 1/2 x 1 in. Steel 250 x 250 x 2 cm / 98 1/2 x 98 1/2 x 1 in. Stone 70 x 70 x 70 cm / 27 1/2 x 27 1/2 x 27 1/2 in.

Relatum - Position

Lee Ufan
Relatum - Position

2008
Iron plate and stone 50 x 220 x 200 cm / 20 x 86 1/2 x 79 in.

Relatum - Position

Lee Ufan
Relatum - Position

2008
Iron plate and stone 50 x 220 x 200 cm / 20 x 86 1/2 x 79 in.

Dialogue

Lee Ufan
Dialogue

2007
Oil on canvas 227 x 182 cm / 89 x 71 1/2 in.

Correspondance

Lee Ufan
Correspondance

2004
Installation View Lisson Gallery, London

Relatum - Discussion

Lee Ufan
Relatum - Discussion

2003
Four iron plates and four stones Stones: 50 x 60 cm each / 19 1/2 x 23 1/2 in. each Iron: 140 x 130 cm each / 55 x 51 in. each When installed: 305 x 305 x 61cm / 120 x 120 x 24 in.

Correspondence

Lee Ufan
Correspondence

1996
Oil on canvas 146 x 195 cm / 57 1/2 x 77 in.

Relatum

Lee Ufan
Relatum

1979-96
Iron and Stone 270 x 240 x 170 cm / 106 1/3 x 94 1/2 x 66 2/3 in.

Relatum

Lee Ufan
Relatum

1979-96
Iron and Stone 270 x 240 x 170 cm / 106 1/3 x 94 1/2 x 66 2/3 in.

Untitled

Lee Ufan
Untitled

1996
Charcoal on paper 63 x 71 cm 24 3/4 x 28 in

Untitled

Lee Ufan
Untitled

1995
Charcoal on paper 50 x 66 cm unframed 19.7 x 26 in unframed

From Winds

Lee Ufan
From Winds

1989
Stone paint on canvas 182 x 228 cm / 71 1/2 x 90 in.

With Winds No 4

Lee Ufan
With Winds No 4

1988
Oil on canvas 227 x 182 cm / 90 x 71 1/2 in.

Relatum - Residence

Lee Ufan
Relatum - Residence

1988
Iron plate and stone plates 220 x 200 x 1 cm / 86 1/2 x 79 x 1/2 in.

Relatum - Residence

Lee Ufan
Relatum - Residence

1988
Iron plate and stone plates 220 x 200 x 1 cm / 86 1/2 x 79 x 1/2 in.

Relatum - Lover

Lee Ufan
Relatum - Lover

1986
Two iron plates and two natural stones Iron plates: 140 x 115 x 3cm / 55 x 45 x 1 in. Stones: 40 x 40 x 40cm / 16 x 16 x 16 in.

Relatum - Lover

Lee Ufan
Relatum - Lover

1986
Two iron plates and two natural stones Iron plates: 140 x 115 x 3cm / 55 x 45 x 1 in. Stones: 40 x 40 x 40cm / 16 x 16 x 16 in.

From Point

Lee Ufan
From Point

1973
Glue on canvas 163 x 130 cm / 64 1/4 x 51 1/4 in.

Museum Exhibitions

Exhibitions

  1. Lee Ufan: Response

    Lee Ufan: Response

    16 November 2021 – 22 January 2022

  2. Selected Works

    Selected Works

    16 February – 24 April 2021

  3. Selected works in London

    Selected works in London

    8 December 2020 – 12 January 2021

  4. Horizon

    Horizon

    6 October – 31 October 2020

  5. Lee Ufan

    Lee Ufan

    25 March – 9 May 2015

  6. Lee Ufan: New Work

    Lee Ufan: New Work

    2 April – 10 May 2008

  7. Lee Ufan: Correspondence

    Lee Ufan: Correspondence

    21 January – 28 February 2004

  8. Lee Ufan

    Lee Ufan

    18 October – 16 November 1996

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  1. Lee Ufan

    Lee Ufan

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