- 199
LEE UFAN | Dialogue
Estimate
280,000 - 350,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- Ufan Lee
- Dialogue
- signed and dated 16 on the side; signed, titled and dated 2016 on the reverse
- acrylic on canvas
- 291 by 218 cm. 114 1/2 by 85 3/4 in.
Provenance
Kamel Mennour, Paris
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2016
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2016
Condition
Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although it fails to fully convey the nuances in the blues and reds visible in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. Extremely close inspection reveals some very faint handling marks in isolated places to all four extreme edges and some very light and unobtrusive rub marks in places throughout. Further extremely close inspection reveals some very faint indentations towards the centre of the lower edge. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultra violet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
"I am the one who creates the power of balance, but the feeling of infinity that drifts from the piece depends on the spatial strength of the negative space. Created in this manner, a work continues to give life to concept and actuality while influencing both"
(Lee Ufan, Selected writings by Lee Ufan 1970-96, London 1996, p. 114). Through one brush stroke, Dialogue channels a profound emotional resonance for the viewer, bringing them into a state of inner contemplation. Executed by pioneering Korean artist Lee Ufan, the present work is fuelled with aesthetic vibrancy and explores the relationship between the inner-life and the exterior. Dialogue is composed of a singular blue brushstroke diffusing into the background: at the start of the brush, the line appears dark and thick, but progressively becomes thinner and lighter, before completely disappearing into the white canvas. Untouched by the act of expression, the use of negative and empty space in Dialogue is as vital to the work as the singular blue motif. The open space allows the rise of the meditative qualities of the work and a phenomenon of encounter to emerge from the connection between the painted object and the white background.
A deep mutual relationship between Lee Ufan and his painting is also formed and felt as he fully immerses himself into the process of creation by fusing his body and hands in the very essential elements that create the work. His breathing deeply and movements are embedded within the work as he starts by breathing then holding his breath to delicately apply the brush for two precise minutes before repeating the action several times.
The title, Dialogue, reflects upon Ufan’s concern with the profoundness of relationships rather than objects or figures in themselves. It is a call to focus and appreciate the slowness of experience to connection and time. As art is fundamentally an argument to return to a more human centred view of the universe, Ufan brings a divided world together. The organic nature of Dialogue captures the essence of time and space by breathing and expanding itself infinitely. It attempts to capture the viewer’s full attention, to deliver us from our one-sidedness and enter into a realm of connectiveness. Ultimately, this unique composition questions modernity, consumerism and industrialisation, and the pressure inflicted on society to act in a fast-pace that limits us to individualism. It encourages the viewer to take a step back, meditate and reflect on the passage of time and accept it as a natural process of life.
Dialogue is emblematic of Lee Ufan’s iconic facture, which consists of singular or plural marks placed on a white background. What is felt through his oeuvre is vigour and energy as his art becomes alive through the relationship with its surrounding space.
(Lee Ufan, Selected writings by Lee Ufan 1970-96, London 1996, p. 114). Through one brush stroke, Dialogue channels a profound emotional resonance for the viewer, bringing them into a state of inner contemplation. Executed by pioneering Korean artist Lee Ufan, the present work is fuelled with aesthetic vibrancy and explores the relationship between the inner-life and the exterior. Dialogue is composed of a singular blue brushstroke diffusing into the background: at the start of the brush, the line appears dark and thick, but progressively becomes thinner and lighter, before completely disappearing into the white canvas. Untouched by the act of expression, the use of negative and empty space in Dialogue is as vital to the work as the singular blue motif. The open space allows the rise of the meditative qualities of the work and a phenomenon of encounter to emerge from the connection between the painted object and the white background.
A deep mutual relationship between Lee Ufan and his painting is also formed and felt as he fully immerses himself into the process of creation by fusing his body and hands in the very essential elements that create the work. His breathing deeply and movements are embedded within the work as he starts by breathing then holding his breath to delicately apply the brush for two precise minutes before repeating the action several times.
The title, Dialogue, reflects upon Ufan’s concern with the profoundness of relationships rather than objects or figures in themselves. It is a call to focus and appreciate the slowness of experience to connection and time. As art is fundamentally an argument to return to a more human centred view of the universe, Ufan brings a divided world together. The organic nature of Dialogue captures the essence of time and space by breathing and expanding itself infinitely. It attempts to capture the viewer’s full attention, to deliver us from our one-sidedness and enter into a realm of connectiveness. Ultimately, this unique composition questions modernity, consumerism and industrialisation, and the pressure inflicted on society to act in a fast-pace that limits us to individualism. It encourages the viewer to take a step back, meditate and reflect on the passage of time and accept it as a natural process of life.
Dialogue is emblematic of Lee Ufan’s iconic facture, which consists of singular or plural marks placed on a white background. What is felt through his oeuvre is vigour and energy as his art becomes alive through the relationship with its surrounding space.