Artist Research: Lee Ufan (b 1936)
Lee Ufan was born in 1936 in Korea, but now works as a painter and sculptor in Paris, France and Kamakura, Japan.
I like the beautiful, sophisticated elegance of his painting with very subtle lines. His sculpture includes large pottery vases, and such works as the sand and steel installation (figure 2), which also appeals to me. His work looks so easy, yet I know this is not so. Simplicity is hard to achieve, and I wonder if I can simplify lines, shapes and colours? I admire minimalist abstraction, yet do not think I have this ability.
(Quick Sketch inspired by Manet’s ‘The Railway’ (Select a painting from before 1900.)
(Quick Painterly Sketch): Inspired by Manet’s ‘The Railway’ (Select a painting from before 1900)
and Lee Ufan’s ‘From Line’ 1974 above)
To create perfectly aligned and straight lines or geometric shapes or columns takes a lot of time, precision and effort. I do like strong, bold 3-Dimensional forms and flat 2-Dimensional shapes. What I also like is the way Lee Ufan’s painterly strokes are straighter than my ribbons, but not regimented like my columns. Each line has a soft wobbly straightness, with uneven starting and ending brushstroke points. So beautiful!
Sources: http://artistproject.metmuseum.org/5/lee-ufan/ http://www.studioleeufan.org/