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| ▲ Lee Ufan's "Dialogue" (2018) is displayed at Pace Gallery in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2024, in this photo provided by the gallery. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ Paintings by American minimalist painter Mark Rothko are displayed at Pace Gallery in Seoul on Sept. 3, 2024, in this photo provided by the gallery. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
art-exhibition
Unlikely union: Lee Ufan, Mark Rothko create dialogue through art
By Woo Jae-yeon
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (Yonhap) -- The two-artist exhibition pairing South Korean painter Lee Ufan with American minimalist painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970) might initially perplex visitors. Yet, as viewers move through the gallery, absorbing each work in turn, the seemingly unlikely duo reveals a compelling artistic dialogue.
Even the late American artist's adult children, Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko, who are currently in Seoul for the exhibition, "Correspondence: Lee Ufan and Mark Rothko," at Pace Gallery, experienced this revelation.
At the media preview Wednesday, Kate Rothko Prizel, daughter of the last artist, said she was unsure of any direct connection between her father and East Asian art, noting that she didn't believe it was something he had specifically studied.
However, as she prepared for the exhibition and observed her father's works alongside Lee's paintings, she began to perceive a profound connection between the two.
"I really feel that, on some subconscious level, my father must have felt an Eastern connection," she said.
The exhibition is curated by Lee in collaboration with the Rothko family. A leading figure in the Japanese avant-garde Mono-ha movement of the late 1960s, Lee is arguably one of the most influential living South Korean artists, with his paintings often fetching millions of dollars at auction.
Born in 1936, Lee is best known for his minimalist paintings characterized by bold, rhythmic brushstrokes, often accompanied by expansive areas of blank space, reflecting his deep appreciation for nature. Rothko, a key figure of the New York School, stands as one of the 20th century's most influential painters. His large color field works, characterized by expansive canvases suffused with luminous hues, are renowned for their emotional depth and spiritual resonance.
At the exhibition, Lee's four paintings from his "Dialogue" and "Responses" series, created between 2018 and 2023, are on display on the gallery's third floor, while Rothko's six paintings from 1951 to 1969 adorn the walls of the second floor. In addition, Lee's sculpture "Relatum - Correspondence," crafted from steel and stone, is installed in the garden.
The gallery expected the two-artist exhibition to "draw out the many resonances and intersections -- in terms of color, surface, and atmosphere -- that cut across both artists' work."
"The opportunity to collaborate with not just another artist, but a great living artist, makes it so much more exciting," Christopher Rothko said during the media event.
He said he was struck by how, despite the beauty of their paintings, both artists use their work as "gateways to their souls," noting how the sparse display of the paintings in the gallery creates "a sense of place, space and purpose."
The exhibition will run until Oct. 26.
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