Renowned Korean artist Lee Bul has signed a representation agreement with Hauser & Wirth, becoming the first Korean artist to join the roster of the internationally influential gallery. This partnership—formed in collaboration with her current gallery BB&M—marks a significant milestone in Lee’s global trajectory. Hauser & Wirth will initiate this new chapter with a major solo exhibition at Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul this September, followed by a 2025 spring show at M+ in Hong Kong, and further international presentations in the coming years.
Lee Bul rose to global prominence in the 1990s through boundary-defying works that addressed utopian ideals, human vulnerability, and the impact of advancing technology. Known for her interdisciplinary approach that spans sculpture, performance, installation, and painting, Lee’s work explores posthumanism and gender politics through early performances and her signature cyborg sculptures. Her practice, as described by Hauser & Wirth, reflects a sustained inquiry into political, social, and aesthetic constraints—and the radical potential of art to transcend them.
Over the decades, Lee’s work has evolved into large-scale immersive installations, often incorporating mirrored surfaces, hybrid forms of organic and mechanical structures, and architectural elements. These constructions offer viewers a heightened sensory experience and invite reflection on the intersections of memory, technology, and speculative futures. Drawing inspiration from philosophy, literature, and experimental architecture, Lee positions her practice as a critical site for reimagining freedom and transformation.
In 2024, Lee unveiled her public sculpture Long Tail Halo: The Secret Sharer II as the inaugural artist for the Genesis Façade Commission at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York. Her four-part installation, placed within the museum’s iconic Fifth Avenue niches, will remain on view through June 10, 2025. The project, sponsored by Hyundai’s luxury automotive brand Genesis, underscores the increasing recognition of Lee’s work on the global stage.
Hauser & Wirth plans to present Lee’s work at the upcoming Art Basel Hong Kong, opening March 26. Featured pieces include the sculptural work Untitled (Anagram Leather #11 T.T.O.) (2003/2018) and two new paintings from the Perdu series. Following her solo exhibitions in Seoul and Hong Kong, Lee will also mount a solo show at Hauser & Wirth’s New York space in 2025 as part of a larger institutional tour.
Marc Payot, President of Hauser & Wirth, commented, “Lee Bul is widely recognized as one of the most important Korean artists of our time. Her conceptual rigor and nuanced materiality create works that are deeply human and continually push the boundaries of contemporary art. We are honored to accompany her in this new phase of her international journey.”
Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com
The portraot of Lee Bul, Courtesy of BB&M Gallery
Renowned Korean artist Lee Bul has signed a representation agreement with Hauser & Wirth, becoming the first Korean artist to join the roster of the internationally influential gallery. This partnership—formed in collaboration with her current gallery BB&M—marks a significant milestone in Lee’s global trajectory. Hauser & Wirth will initiate this new chapter with a major solo exhibition at Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul this September, followed by a 2025 spring show at M+ in Hong Kong, and further international presentations in the coming years.
Lee Bul rose to global prominence in the 1990s through boundary-defying works that addressed utopian ideals, human vulnerability, and the impact of advancing technology. Known for her interdisciplinary approach that spans sculpture, performance, installation, and painting, Lee’s work explores posthumanism and gender politics through early performances and her signature cyborg sculptures. Her practice, as described by Hauser & Wirth, reflects a sustained inquiry into political, social, and aesthetic constraints—and the radical potential of art to transcend them.
Over the decades, Lee’s work has evolved into large-scale immersive installations, often incorporating mirrored surfaces, hybrid forms of organic and mechanical structures, and architectural elements. These constructions offer viewers a heightened sensory experience and invite reflection on the intersections of memory, technology, and speculative futures. Drawing inspiration from philosophy, literature, and experimental architecture, Lee positions her practice as a critical site for reimagining freedom and transformation.
In 2024, Lee unveiled her public sculpture Long Tail Halo: The Secret Sharer II as the inaugural artist for the Genesis Façade Commission at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York. Her four-part installation, placed within the museum’s iconic Fifth Avenue niches, will remain on view through June 10, 2025. The project, sponsored by Hyundai’s luxury automotive brand Genesis, underscores the increasing recognition of Lee’s work on the global stage.
Hauser & Wirth plans to present Lee’s work at the upcoming Art Basel Hong Kong, opening March 26. Featured pieces include the sculptural work Untitled (Anagram Leather #11 T.T.O.) (2003/2018) and two new paintings from the Perdu series. Following her solo exhibitions in Seoul and Hong Kong, Lee will also mount a solo show at Hauser & Wirth’s New York space in 2025 as part of a larger institutional tour.
Marc Payot, President of Hauser & Wirth, commented, “Lee Bul is widely recognized as one of the most important Korean artists of our time. Her conceptual rigor and nuanced materiality create works that are deeply human and continually push the boundaries of contemporary art. We are honored to accompany her in this new phase of her international journey.”
