Lee Ufan's Non-Retrospective at Centre Pompidou-Metz
From February 27 to September 30, 2019, the Centre Pompidou-Metz showcases 'Lee Ufan. Habiter le temps,' under the curation of Jean-Marie Gallais. This exhibition comprises thirty artworks displayed across fifteen rooms, delving into the artistic processes of Lee Ufan. At 83, the Korean artist, renowned for his role in the Mono-ha movement, employs minimalist elements such as stones and steel. Visitors are welcomed by a conical cotton tower measuring 5.5 m in height and 8 m in width, accompanied by a soundscape created by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Notable pieces include Ufan's iconic brushstroke, vibrant monochromes from 1968, and installations called 'Relatum.' Ufan distances himself from the Zen art classification, drawing on Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, and the exhibition features new works that prioritize fluidity over traditional catalogs.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Lee Ufan. Habiter le temps' at Centre Pompidou-Metz from February 27 to September 30, 2019
- Curated by Jean-Marie Gallais
- Fifteen rooms and thirty works
- Lee Ufan is 83 years old, Korean, lives in Tokyo, has a studio in Paris
- Key figure of Mono-ha movement (1960s Japan)
- Works as painter, sculptor, philosopher, theorist
- Uses simple materials: stones, steel, iron, mirrors, pigment, gravel
- Signature brushstroke: square widening at top
- Opening installation: conical cotton tower, 5.5 m high, 8 m wide base
- Soundscape by Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Three monochromes from 1968 (red, orange, pink)
- 'Relatum' series sculptures
- Rejects Zen art label, references Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology
- Museum building designed by Shigeru Ban
Entities
Artists
- Lee Ufan
- Shigeru Ban
- Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Maurice Merleau-Ponty
Institutions
- Centre Pompidou-Metz
- Mono-ha
Locations
- Metz
- France
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Paris
Sources
- artpress —