Renowned minimalist artist Lee Ufan has unveiled a new permanent installation space called "Silentium" at the Hoam Museum of Art in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The Latin word "Silentium," meaning stillness, has been reimagined by the artist using Chinese characters 默視庵, which translate to "to behold within stillness." This concept reflects Lee's lifelong artistic philosophy that when one lets go and empties oneself, a greater infinity unfolds.
Nestled within the museum's Hee Won garden, the permanent space brings together three of Lee's paintings and one outdoor installation in what the museum describes as seamless harmony. The installation embodies Lee's meditation on silence and his distinctive approach to seeing that attunes viewers to subtle movements within quietude. As visitors enter Silentium, they encounter a single stone artfully positioned on a sheet of steel, serving as a sentinel at the entrance.
Lee Ufan, a pioneer of the Mono-ha (School of Things) movement, has built his career on engaging with natural and industrial materials including stone, steel, wood, and glass, all presented in their unaltered states. His artistic arrangements are designed to direct viewers' attention to the relationships between natural and human-made elements, between objects and the spaces they occupy, and between artworks and observers. In Lee's practice, this constant interplay takes precedence over personal messages or artistic ego.
Inside the Silentium space, three new paintings are displayed across the floor, wall, and in shadow areas. While Lee has long been recognized for his restrained monochromatic palette, these new works feature more boldly emerging colors through dots and circles, marking a notable evolution in his artistic expression. The arrangement creates an immersive environment where visitors can experience the artist's philosophy of stillness and contemplation.
Beyond the permanent garden installation, Lee has also revealed three new large-scale sculptural works from his acclaimed Relatum series in the museum's Old Stone Garden, an area that was previously closed to public access. Each piece continues the artist's philosophical exploration of encounters between stone and steel, fundamental materials in his artistic vocabulary. The most striking among these installations is "Relatum – The Sky Road," featuring a 20-meter-long stretch of super-mirror stainless steel paired with a natural boulder.
According to museum officials, this comprehensive project set against the natural landscape of the Hoam Museum of Art was personally proposed by Lee himself. The artist expressed his vision for the installation in a statement, saying, "Basking in stillness, visitors will be able to sense that the entire world moves through relations and encounters, through each other's breath and resonance." This statement encapsulates the core philosophy behind both the Silentium space and his broader artistic practice.
The installation opened with a week-long preview exclusively for Leeum members, demonstrating the high level of anticipation surrounding Lee's new work. Following this exclusive preview period, the permanent installation will officially open to the general public on November 4, allowing art enthusiasts and visitors to experience Lee's unique interpretation of stillness and spatial relationships in a dedicated museum setting.
