Ha Chong Hyun's First London Show Since 2020 Opens at Lisson Gallery

Lisson Gallery in London is hosting a major exhibition of works by Korean artist Ha Chong Hyun, marking his first London show since 2020 and his inaugural exhibition with the gallery. The show, running from 24 September to 7 November 2026 at 27 Bell Street, surveys six decades of the artist's experimentation, from early geometric works to his ongoing Conjunction series. Born in 1935, Ha is a leading figure in postwar abstract painting, known for blending monochromatic, minimalist, and gestural abstraction. The exhibition opens with two late-1960s works: a geometric composition from the Naissance series made of woven painted strips, and a vividly colored folded canvas. In the 1970s, Ha became associated with Dansaekhwa, a Korean movement emphasizing repetition and material engagement, and began incorporating unconventional materials like coiled springs and barbed wire. During this period, he developed his signature technique of pushing paint through the reverse of coarse hemp canvas, a method central to his Conjunction series. The exhibition highlights the shifting relationships between material, pressure, and mark, presenting surfaces as both image and evidence of force and resistance. A programme of talks will accompany the show during Frieze Art Fair week in London.