Lee Ufan at 90: Three Major Global Exhibitions and a Life Between Borders

Lee Ufan, the 90-year-old artist known for his spare, time-suspending paintings and sculptures, is the subject of three major exhibitions worldwide: a long-term presentation at Dia:Beacon, a retrospective at the San Marco Art Center in Venice coinciding with the Venice Biennale (through Nov. 21), and a new works show at the Serralves Foundation in Porto opening in September. Born in Japanese-occupied Korea, Lee moved to Japan as a young man and co-founded the Mono Ha movement, though his Korean identity led to his exclusion from a 1970 Guggenheim exhibition. His paintings, made by applying brushstrokes until the brush runs dry while holding his breath, are associated with both Mono Ha and the Korean Tansaekhwa movement. His sculptures juxtapose industrial materials with natural rocks. Lee has dedicated museums in Naoshima (designed by Tadao Ando), Arles, and Busan, and his paintings have sold for over $2 million. He continues to paint daily, recently debuting the 'Response' series with richer colors and layered strokes. Dia director Jessica Morgan curates the Venice show; Serralves director Philippe Vergne notes Lee's restraint in selecting only two texts for the catalogue. Lee lives between Kamakura and Paris, and his daughter Bona observes he has made new non-art-world friends in his 80s.