On view
South Korean, b. 1936
Relatum—Horizontal and Vertical, 2019
Stainless steel, stone, and gravel
Gift of the Artist and Pace Gallery
Photo by Jeffrey Jenkins
Relatum—Horizontal and Vertical consists of a tall stainless steel pole, an open steel ring, and two large stones, all positioned on a field of white gravel. While the thin pole projects vertically from the ground like an antenna, the ring, stones, and gravel act as anchors, extending the ground plane horizontally so that the entire gravel-covered surface becomes part of the work.
Lee’s distinct approach to abstract sculpture brings together organic and humanmade materials in dynamic compositions. After studying painting at the College of Fine Arts at Seoul National University and philosophy at Nihon University in Tokyo, Lee became one of the foremost thought leaders and practitioners of Mono-ha (School of Things), an influential movement of Japanese and Korean artists in the 1960s and 1970s. Critiquing modernism and imperialism and informed by activist student protests, Mono-ha artists made work that explored encounters and relationships between natural and industrial objects, foregrounding the physicality of their materials and compositions.
The term “relatum,” which Lee includes in the titles of all his sculptures, refers not only to how the disparate elements of his works interact but also to the connections forged between sculpture, artist, viewer, and the spaces or surroundings they inhabit. Relatum—Horizontal and Vertical enters into its own unique dialogue with Storm King’s landscape, including the growing and unfolding terrain of the North Meadow. About the installation, Lee has said, “The slim, vertical stainless-steel pole in the air reflects the light and sways imperceptibly. The horizontal pole, which surrounds the vertical pole and is set on white cobblestones, also gives the illusion of movement with its shimmer. Also, the stones inside the circular pole and the stones outside resonate, and they generate living energy to the surroundings. With its simple abstract form, the work simultaneously creates a sense of tension and release in the natural world, opening up a new, refreshing area. The work goes beyond just being an object to observe and resonates with the atmosphere around itself.”
Lee’s distinct approach to abstract sculpture brings together organic and humanmade materials in dynamic compositions. After studying painting at the College of Fine Arts at Seoul National University and philosophy at Nihon University in Tokyo, Lee became one of the foremost thought leaders and practitioners of Mono-ha (School of Things), an influential movement of Japanese and Korean artists in the 1960s and 1970s. Critiquing modernism and imperialism and informed by activist student protests, Mono-ha artists made work that explored encounters and relationships between natural and industrial objects, foregrounding the physicality of their materials and compositions.
The term “relatum,” which Lee includes in the titles of all his sculptures, refers not only to how the disparate elements of his works interact but also to the connections forged between sculpture, artist, viewer, and the spaces or surroundings they inhabit. Relatum—Horizontal and Vertical enters into its own unique dialogue with Storm King’s landscape, including the growing and unfolding terrain of the North Meadow. About the installation, Lee has said, “The slim, vertical stainless-steel pole in the air reflects the light and sways imperceptibly. The horizontal pole, which surrounds the vertical pole and is set on white cobblestones, also gives the illusion of movement with its shimmer. Also, the stones inside the circular pole and the stones outside resonate, and they generate living energy to the surroundings. With its simple abstract form, the work simultaneously creates a sense of tension and release in the natural world, opening up a new, refreshing area. The work goes beyond just being an object to observe and resonates with the atmosphere around itself.”