Expressed through a method of repeatedly dotting
Do You Know the World-Renowned Master of Contemporary Art, Artist Lee Ufan?
Among BTS fans, RM is well-known for his love of Lee Ufan's work.
After it was reported that he visited 'Space Lee Ufan' in Busan,
the number of visitors reportedly increased by four times.
After his visit, he left a message in the guestbook saying he liked the 'Wind' series.
One of the works from the 'Wind' series that he mentioned
'East winds (Dongpung, 1984)' was sold at auction for 3.1 billion won.
In 2019, as art tech became popular, 'From Point' (1983)
was jointly purchased by 268 investors, drawing renewed attention.
And in June 2021,
at Seoul Auction Gangnam Center,
at the 161st art auction, a work started at 1.5 billion won and was sold for 2.2 billion won,
setting a new personal record for the artist at that time.
That work was 'From Point (2 works)' (1975) by Lee Ufan.
It is one of the representative works from Lee Ufan's 'From Point' series.
Let's find out why it has recently attracted attention.
A 2 Billion Won Artwork Under Investigation
The special investigation team led by Min Joongki, investigating various allegations surrounding Kim Gunhee, the wife of former President Yoon Sukyeol, is carrying seized items after completing a search and seizure operation. Photo by Yonhap News
원본보기 아이콘The special investigation team secured one piece from Lee Ufan's 'From Point' series while searching the home of Kim's brother Kim Jinwoo's mother-in-law.
This work is estimated to be worth about 2 billion won, and an authenticity certificate was also found.
The special investigation team believes that if this work was provided as a bribe with consideration, there is a possibility that it could be subject to bribery charges.
The Art World's Complex Feelings
The art world is watching this situation with sensitivity.
One insider said, "It is not surprising that Kim owned the work,"
and noted that Lee Ufan's works have long been popular among the wealthy as collectible items.
Another insider expressed concern that "the artwork is being consumed as a secondary tool in a political incident,"
but also hoped that this would be an opportunity for a proper evaluation of the artistic value of the work.
'From Point': The Philosophy Contained in a Single Dot
The work in question
is one of the representative pieces from Lee Ufan's 'From Point' series.
time, existence, and physicality.
Since its first presentation in Tokyo in 1972, it was steadily developed until the mid-1980s,
and it has consistently received high acclaim in the domestic and international art scenes.
This series is an original work where Eastern thought meets Western minimalism,
and is also considered a core of the Danshikhwa movement.
Major museums and collectors have paid attention to it for a long time,
and it has been recognized for its high value, selling for billions of won at auctions.
Its value is widely acknowledged.
Politics and Art: What Has Their Relationship Been?
In fact, this is not the first time that Lee Ufan's works have been involved with the political world.
This is not the first time.
During the 2020 general election, Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Sangsik and his spouse
were indicted for underreporting 4 billion won worth of artworks as 1.78 billion won,
'From Point' was among the works in question.
In the first trial, they were fined 3 million won, and on appeal, the fine was reduced to 900,000 won, allowing Lee to retain his parliamentary seat.
High-Priced Artworks: Art or Asset?
This incident has once again raised concerns that expensive artworks can be abused as political tools
or as means of hiding assets.
At the same time, there is growing regret that works by Korea's leading artists
are being seen as political tools.
Who Is Lee Ufan?
Born in Haman, Gyeongnam in 1936, Lee Ufan
is a master of Korean contemporary art who has worked between Japan and France.
He is a leading figure in Japan's 'Mono-ha' movement of the 1970s,
and is widely recognized in the international art world for his unique body of work that intersects Eastern philosophy and Western aesthetics.
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Edit Maeng Jiae mjiae@asiae.co.kr
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Reporter Seo Miteum faith@asiae.co.kr
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