Lee Ufan was born in Korea (1936) and completed his studies in philosophy at Nihon University in Japan (1956). He served as a professor at Tama Art University in Tokyo (1973-2007). He is an artist, writer, theorist, and poet, best known as a theorist of the Mono-Ha movement (school of things), which uses materials such as stone, wood, and industrial remnants in their original state. His painting activity takes the form of meditation. Among his most significant exhibitions in recent years are those in 2016 at Castello di Ama, Siena (Italy), in 2018 at Serpentine Galleries, London (UK), in 2019 at Dia Beacon, New York (USA), and “LEE UFAN: OPEN DIMENSION” at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C. (USA). In 2010, he opened the Lee Ufan Museum in Naoshima, Japan, designed by the architect Ando Tadao, followed by Space Lee Ufan at the Busan Museum of Art in South Korea and Lee Ufan Arles in France. These spaces combine art with meditation and well-being.
Mono-Ha, represented a departure from traditional Western artistic conventions, particularly those associated with abstract expressionism and minimalism, which were prevalent at the time. Mono-Ha artists sought to explore the relationship between materials and their environments, often using natural and industrial materials in their raw state. They emphasized the inherent qualities of these materials and their interactions with space, rather than manipulating them to conform to predetermined artistic concepts.
Key characteristics of Mono-Ha include:
- Materiality: Artists focused on the physical properties of materials, such as texture, weight, and form. Common materials used included stone, wood, steel, glass, and rope.
- Site-specificity: Mono-Ha artworks were often created in response to specific locations or environments, with the placement of materials carefully considered in relation to the surrounding space.
- Emphasis on perception: Mono-Ha artworks prompted viewers to engage with their senses and perceive the relationship between materials, space, and their own presence.
- Transient nature: Many Mono-Ha artworks were temporary or ephemeral in nature, existing only for the duration of an exhibition or installation before being dismantled or allowed to decay.
Prominent artists associated with the Mono-Ha movement include Lee Ufan, Kishio Suga, Nobuo Sekine, Susumu Koshimizu, and Jiro Takamatsu, among others. While Mono-Ha was primarily active in Japan during the 1960s and 1970s, its influence has extended globally, influencing subsequent generations of artists and contributing to the development of contemporary art practices centered around materiality and spatial awareness.
Lee Ufan was born in Korea (1936) and completed his studies in philosophy at Nihon University in Japan (1956). He served as a professor at Tama Art University in Tokyo (1973-2007). He is an artist, writer, theorist, and poet, best known as a theorist of the Mono-Ha movement (school of things), which uses materials such as stone, wood, and industrial remnants in their original state. His painting activity takes the form of meditation. Among his most significant exhibitions in recent years are those in 2016 at Castello di Ama, Siena (Italy), in 2018 at Serpentine Galleries, London (UK), in 2019 at Dia Beacon, New York (USA), and “LEE UFAN: OPEN DIMENSION” at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C. (USA). In 2010, he opened the Lee Ufan Museum in Naoshima, Japan, designed by the architect Ando Tadao, followed by Space Lee Ufan at the Busan Museum of Art in South Korea and Lee Ufan Arles in France. These spaces combine art with meditation and well-being.
