Lee Bae | Syzygy | Esther Schipper | 11.09.–18.10.2025

Lee Bae is renowned for his striking use of charcoal as his primary medium. Since the early 1990s, he has transformed the material into a versatile instrument: mosaic-like arrangements of charcoal shards, paintings and ink drawings using charcoal pigment, and sculptures reminiscent of massive logs. While charcoal was initially a pragmatic choice, it soon became a symbol of his Korean identity, deeply rooted in cultural, spiritual and historical associations.

In Syzygy, Lee Bae has lined the gallery space with white paper, some of which bears broad brushstrokes executed on site. Visitors may only enter wearing shoe covers, evoking traditional Korean interiors and their attentiveness to space.

The exhibition further presents monumental Brushstroke sculptures, cast in bronze, translating the fluidity of ink painting into three dimensions. A wall of his iconic Issu du feu works—constructed from carefully aligned, polished charcoal shards—creates surfaces that refract light in multiple directions, what the artist describes as “a black material that produces light.”

Through contrasts of black and white, presence and absence, stillness and movement, Lee Bae seeks to create a unified experience. The exhibition title Syzygy refers to this harmony of opposites, offering visitors an encounter with spiritual balance and alignment.

Opening: Thursday, September 11, 2025, 6–10 pm

Exhibition dates: Thursday, September 11 – Saturday, October 18, 2025