Lee Bul

April 21 - June 19, 2010
201 Chrystie Street

Press Release

Lehmann Maupin is pleased to present an exhibition of new works by Lee Bul, on view at 201 Chrystie Street, 21 April – 19 June 2010. Lee will present an installation of sculptures, along with related drawings and maquettes that expand upon her continuing engagement with the fractured tropes and narratives of utopian modernity.

By turns strikingly elegant and obsessively intricate, the sculptural works in this exhibition delve into metaphysical and poetic concepts of architectural environments, evoking invented and imaginary landscapes that appear haunted by specters of the historical avant-garde—from Piranesi's labyrinths to the Futurist dreams of Antonio Sant'Elia and, closer to the present, the cataclysmic visions of Lebbeus Woods.

During a career spanning more than two decades, Lee Bul has been recognized for a multifaceted oeuvre notable for the sweep of its intellectual concerns as well as its highly crafted, formally cogent visual vocabulary. Though she was academically trained in sculpture, Lee's early works were often performative, exploring questions regarding the representation of the human body. In subsequent years she continued to cross genres and disciplines, producing provocative works that explored themes of beauty, corruption, and decay.

As in her recent participation in Prospect.1, the inaugural edition of the international biennial of contemporary art in New Orleans, the works in this exhibition are the result of Lee's current phase of artistic inquiry, constituting an imaginative meditation on the ruins of history, a glittering yet melancholic topography of collective utopian aspirations and failures, the vestiges of which continue to resonate in our consciousness and experience of the world.

Born in 1964, Lee Bul has recently participated in important exhibitions such "Mobile Art: Chanel Contemporary Art Container," Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York (2008); and "Fluid Street – Alone, Together," KIASMA, Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki (2008). She has been featured in solo exhibitions throughout the world, including the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Paris (2007); Domus Artium, Salamanca (2007); Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney (2004); Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow (2003); The Power Plant, Toronto (2002); MAC, Galeries Contemporaines des Musées de Marseille, Marseille (2002); and the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (2002). In 1999 she was awarded a prize at the 48th Venice Biennale for her contribution to both the Korean Pavilion and the international exhibition in the Arsenale curated by Harald Szeemann. She was a finalist for the 1998 Hugo Boss Prize. In 1997 the Museum of Modern Art commissioned the artist to create her signature installation of decomposing fish adorned with sequins for the museum's Projects gallery. The exhibition was brought to a premature close, however, amid controversy over the work's inescapable olfactory component. In November 2011 a traveling retrospective of Lee Bul's work, curated by Mami Kataoka, will begin at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo.
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Artists in this exhibition

Press

Exhibition Works

LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, glass beads, acrylic mirror 83.46 x 57.87 x 56.3 inches 212 x 147 x 143 cm LM13160
LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, glass beads, acrylic mirror 83.46 x 57.87 x 56.3 inches 212 x 147 x 143 cm LM13160

LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W2-2, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror 45.28 x 47.24 x 66.93 inches 115 x 120 x 170 cm LM13162
LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W2-2, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror 45.28 x 47.24 x 66.93 inches 115 x 120 x 170 cm LM13162

LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W3, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror, glass beads 60.24 x 89.76 x 51.18 inches 153 x 228 x 130 cm LM13164
LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W3, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror, glass beads 60.24 x 89.76 x 51.18 inches 153 x 228 x 130 cm LM13164

LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W4-1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror, glass beads 85.43 x 59.84 x 28.35 inches 217 x 152 x 72 cm LM13165
LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W4-1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror, glass beads 85.43 x 59.84 x 28.35 inches 217 x 152 x 72 cm LM13165

LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W4-2, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror, glass beads 85.83 x 44.49 x 34.25 inches 218 x 113 x 87 cm LM13166
LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W4-2, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror, glass beads 85.83 x 44.49 x 34.25 inches 218 x 113 x 87 cm LM13166

LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W5-1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror 56.69 x 64.17 x 17.72 inches 144 x 163 x 45 cm LM13167
LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W5-1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror 56.69 x 64.17 x 17.72 inches 144 x 163 x 45 cm LM13167

LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W5-1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror 56.69 x 64.17 x 17.72 inches 144 x 163 x 45 cm LM13167
LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W5-1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror 56.69 x 64.17 x 17.72 inches 144 x 163 x 45 cm LM13167

LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W6-1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror, glass beads 52.36 x 62.2 x 73.23 inches 133 x 158 x 186 cm LM13169
LEE BUL Untitled sculpture W6-1, 2010 stainless steel, aluminum, mirror, wood, polyurethane sheet, acrylic mirror, glass beads 52.36 x 62.2 x 73.23 inches 133 x 158 x 186 cm LM13169

LEE BUL Sternbau No. 28, 2010 crystal, glass and acrylic beads on nickel-chrome wire, stainless steel and aluminum armature 25.59 x 24.8 x 20.47 inches 65 x 63 x 52 cm LM13159
LEE BUL Sternbau No. 28, 2010 crystal, glass and acrylic beads on nickel-chrome wire, stainless steel and aluminum armature 25.59 x 24.8 x 20.47 inches 65 x 63 x 52 cm LM13159

LEE BUL Maquette W1, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 16.93 x 10.24 x 9.06 inches 43 x 26 x 23 cm LM13153
LEE BUL Maquette W1, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 16.93 x 10.24 x 9.06 inches 43 x 26 x 23 cm LM13153

LEE BUL Maquette W2, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 8.98 x 112.2 x 12.76 inches 22.8 x 285 x 32.4 cm LM13154
LEE BUL Maquette W2, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 8.98 x 112.2 x 12.76 inches 22.8 x 285 x 32.4 cm LM13154

LEE BUL Maquette W3, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 9.06 x 18.5 x 14.17 inches 23 x 47 x 36 cm LM13155
LEE BUL Maquette W3, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 9.06 x 18.5 x 14.17 inches 23 x 47 x 36 cm LM13155

LEE BUL Maquette W4, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 10.24 x 14.96 x 13.98 inches 26 x 38 x 35.5 cm LM13156
LEE BUL Maquette W4, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 10.24 x 14.96 x 13.98 inches 26 x 38 x 35.5 cm LM13156

LEE BUL Maquette W5, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 9.45 x 11.81 x 2.95 inches 24 x 30 x 7.5 cm LM13157
LEE BUL Maquette W5, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 9.45 x 11.81 x 2.95 inches 24 x 30 x 7.5 cm LM13157

LEE BUL Maquette W6, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 11.22 x 12.76 x 8.98 inches 28.5 x 32.4 x 22.8 cm LM13158
LEE BUL Maquette W6, 2010 polyurethane panels, acrylic paint 11.22 x 12.76 x 8.98 inches 28.5 x 32.4 x 22.8 cm LM13158

LEE BUL Untitled, 2010 mixed media on paper LM13149
LEE BUL Untitled, 2010 mixed media on paper LM13149

LEE BUL Untitled, 2010 mixed media on paper LM13148
LEE BUL Untitled, 2010 mixed media on paper LM13148

LEE BUL Untitled, 2010 mixed media on paper LM13147
LEE BUL Untitled, 2010 mixed media on paper LM13147

LEE BUL Drawing W4, 2009 india ink, marker, pencil, acrylic paint on paper 30.31 x 22.05 inches (paper) 77 x 56 cm 36 x 27.75 x 1.5 inches (framed) 91.4 x 70.5 x 3.8 cm signed and dated on the bottom right LM13152
LEE BUL Drawing W4, 2009 india ink, marker, pencil, acrylic paint on paper 30.31 x 22.05 inches (paper) 77 x 56 cm 36 x 27.75 x 1.5 inches (framed) 91.4 x 70.5 x 3.8 cm signed and dated on the bottom right LM13152

LEE BUL Drawing W2, 2009 india ink, marker, pencil, acrylic paint on paper 31.89 x 23.62 inches (paper) 81 x 60 cm 37.375 x 29.5 x 1.5 inches (framed) 94.9 x 74.9 x 3.8 cm signed and dated on the bottom right LM13151
LEE BUL Drawing W2, 2009 india ink, marker, pencil, acrylic paint on paper 31.89 x 23.62 inches (paper) 81 x 60 cm 37.375 x 29.5 x 1.5 inches (framed) 94.9 x 74.9 x 3.8 cm signed and dated on the bottom right LM13151

LEE BUL Drawing W1, 2009 india ink, marker, pencil, acrylic paint on paper 31.89 x 23.62 inches (paper) 81 x 60 cm 29.5 x 37.375 x 1.5 inches (framed) 74.9 x 94.9 x 3.8 cm signed and dated on the bottom right LM13150
LEE BUL Drawing W1, 2009 india ink, marker, pencil, acrylic paint on paper 31.89 x 23.62 inches (paper) 81 x 60 cm 29.5 x 37.375 x 1.5 inches (framed) 74.9 x 94.9 x 3.8 cm signed and dated on the bottom right LM13150

LEE BUL Study for The Infinite Starburst of Your Cold Dark Eyes, 2009 india ink, marker, pencil, acrylic paint on paper 47.64 x 31.77 inches (paper) 121 x 80.7 cm 53.5 x 37.65 x 2 inches (framed) 135.9 x 95.6 x 5.1 cm signed and dated on the bottom right LM13239
LEE BUL Study for The Infinite Starburst of Your Cold Dark Eyes, 2009 india ink, marker, pencil, acrylic paint on paper 47.64 x 31.77 inches (paper) 121 x 80.7 cm 53.5 x 37.65 x 2 inches (framed) 135.9 x 95.6 x 5.1 cm signed and dated on the bottom right LM13239

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