▲ 'Black Sun' at the New Museum, 2023, Photo by Dario Lasagni (L), Portrait of Mire Lee Photo by Melissa Schriek ⓒ New Museum, Tina Kim Gallery

The Tate Modern Museum, a contemporary art museum in London, England, has commissioned Korean sculptor Mire Lee to install the works in the turbine hall in the museum.

Lee is a rising star sculptor in the global art world and is famous for producing and exhibiting grand and epic works using rather horror-looking elements such as guts and bones.

The artist was born in Korea and majored in sculpture and media art at Seoul National University, before moving back and forth between Seoul and Amsterdam. She has held solo exhibitions at major galleries around the world, including the Frankfurt Museum of Modern Art, the Tinakim Gallery in New York, and the Hague Museum of Art.

▲ Mire Lee in Amsterdam studio, ahead of her solo show 'Black Sun' at the New Museum ⓒ Melissa Schriek for NYT

Her works are generally far from the beauty perceived by the public. They have rather bizarre and bizarre appearances, thereby exuding eye-watering charm and strength.

Her work depicts the intestines of animals hanging on an iron bar and drooping wet mucus and uses the torn cloth to create an environment like a whale's belly with only bleak bones.

▲ Exhibition view of 'Mire Lee: Black Sun' at the New Museum in New York in 2023 ⓒ Dario Lasagni, New Museum

Through these original works, the artist expresses the coexistence of fear and beauty, strength, and fragility of the finiteness of life. Glycerin, silicone, etc. are added to materials that can only be used in construction sites, such as cement, resin, and iron rods, and they work as if they are living organisms or machines with biological functions.

Taking advantage of this personality, Lee also presents video work or sculpture work using text and expands his artistic worldview across various genres.

▲ Endless House: Holes and Drips, 2022 ⓒ Sbastiano Pellion di persano, Tina Kim Gallery"Mire Lee is one of today's most interesting and original contemporary artists, and she's excited to showcase her first work in Tate Modern, England," said Tate Modern's director, Karin Hindsbo. She also added, "Lee is producing powerful sculptures, and I'm looking forward her to transforming the iconic Turbine Hall how by using destructive and multi-sensory forms."

She will be working as the ninth annual artist of the Hyundai Commission to transform Tate Modern's Turbine Hall starting this October. The event is part of an extensive partnership project between Hyundai Motor and the museum, which will run until 2026.

Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com