Lee Ufan, new works on paper and sculpture in Tokyo
Published on 08/21/2026 at 15:51 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Lee Ufan opens the late-summer program at SCAI THE BATHHOUSE in Tokyo with the solo exhibition Lee Ufan: Work on Paper / Sculpture. As the gallery confirms, the show runs from August 4 to October 10, 2026 and presents drawings and sculptures from the 1970s to recent yearsSCAI THE BATHHOUSE exhibition page.
Solo show at SCAI THE BATHHOUSE
The exhibition brings together charcoal and watercolor works on paper alongside sculptural pieces related to Lee Ufan's long-running Relatum series, emphasizing his dialogue between mark and materialityTokyo Weekender exhibition preview.
According to SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, opening hours are 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, Tuesday to Saturday, with the gallery closed on Sundays, Mondays, national holidays, and between August 8 and 17 for summer recessSCAI THE BATHHOUSE exhibition page.
Lee Ufan at biennials and fairs
The Tokyo show aligns with Lee Ufan's broader 2026 visibility, including his official collateral exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale at SMAC – San Marco Art Centre, curated by Jessica Morgan and running from May 9 to November 22, 2026La Biennale collateral events page.
Earlier this year, SCAI presented Lee Ufan at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 in the Encounters section, showing the painting Response (2026), acrylic on canvas, demonstrating how his practice enters large-scale fair formats while maintaining a restrained material languageArt Basel Hong Kong booth information.
All news and background on Lee Ufan
Profiles, market reports and exhibition coverage trace how Lee Ufan's work moves between contemplative museum spaces, biennial platforms and focused gallery shows like the current presentation in Tokyo.
The work core and materials
Lee Ufan is known for sparse, deliberate brushwork and the careful pairing of industrial materials and natural stone, a vocabulary that emerged with the Mono-ha movement in Japan and has carried through to decades of Relatum installationsThe Art Newspaper collateral events report.
Where the artist stands now
Lee Ufan's current trajectory in 2026 interlocks the Tokyo exhibition at SCAI THE BATHHOUSE with major institutional presentations at SMAC in Venice and Dia Beacon, underscoring his position as a late-career artist still expanding his formal language.
Key facts on Lee Ufan
- Artist: Lee Ufan
- Medium / Genre: Painting and sculpture (conceptual, Mono-ha)
- Born: 1936, Haman County, South Korea
- Place(s) of practice: Studios between Japan and South Korea, with long-term engagement in Naoshima and international institutional projects
- Active since: Late 1960s, with early recognition through Mono-ha exhibitions in Japan
- Key work groups: From Line, From Point, Relatum, Response
- Current/last exhibition: Lee Ufan: Work on Paper / Sculpture, SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, Tokyo, August 4–October 10, 2026
- Major collections: Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), Dia Art Foundation (Beacon), Lee Ufan Museum (Naoshima), Lee Ufan Arles, Art Gallery of New South Wales (Sydney)
- Awards: Praemium Imperiale for painting, 2001; numerous cultural honors in Japan and South Korea
- Next date: Venice collateral exhibition at SMAC – San Marco Art Centre, May 9–November 22, 2026, aligned with the 61st Venice Biennale
Frequently asked questions about Lee Ufan
Where is Lee Ufan currently on view in Tokyo?
Lee Ufan's solo exhibition Lee Ufan: Work on Paper / Sculpture is on view at SCAI THE BATHHOUSE in Tokyo from August 4 to October 10, 2026, with free admission during regular afternoon opening hours.
How does the Tokyo exhibition relate to Lee Ufan's international shows in 2026?
The Tokyo presentation parallels his collateral exhibition at the 61st Venice Biennale and a Dia Beacon show, framing his works on paper and sculptures within a year of concentrated institutional visibility.
Which key series by Lee Ufan are highlighted in 2026 exhibitions?
Across Venice, Dia Beacon and SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, curators focus on the From Line and From Point painting series and the Relatum sculptures, mapping a seven-decade evolution of his restrained, material-centered practice.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
