Lee Ufan
South Korean
A founding figure of the Japanese Mono-ha movement, Lee Ufan creates installations and sculptures that highlight the balanced relationship between the artwork, the viewer, and the surrounding space. His site-specific compositions often juxtapose natural and industrial materials, inviting quiet contemplation. In his work, steel rods emerge from beds of sand, massive stones rest delicately on cushions, and monolithic boulders frame soaring arcs of metal—gestures that evoke both tension and harmony.A hallmark of Lee’s aesthetic is restraint. His paintings feature soft, muted tones on pale, often empty backgrounds, with brushstrokes that gradually fade, echoing the rhythms of East Asian calligraphy. This meditative minimalism underscores his broader philosophical inquiry into perception and presence.Lee’s work has been exhibited in major cultural centers including New York, London, Tokyo, Seoul, Versailles, and Washington, D.C. He received the UNESCO Prize at the 2000 Shanghai Biennale and was awarded the prestigious Praemium Imperiale by the Japan Art Association in 2001. His art is held in leading public and private collections across Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Australia, and has achieved seven-figure prices at international auctions.