From Winds 1985

Editor: This is Lee Ufan’s "From Winds," painted in 1985 using mixed media. The surface is so heavily textured with these repeating marks. What stands out to me is how the artist applied the paint. It's almost sculptural. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Absolutely. It's crucial to consider the “how” here. Ufan, deeply involved with the *Mono-ha* movement, was fascinated by the raw materiality of things. We see the means of production quite directly. This repetitive mark-making underscores a laborious, almost ritualistic process, where the artist's hand and the inherent qualities of the acrylic paint take center stage. Do you see how the background texture remains visible under the layered strokes? Editor: Yes, it's like a grid of marks on the exposed background! It does remind me of repetitive factory labor… the making of the work seems so crucial. Curator: Exactly! He challenges traditional boundaries between 'high art' and more mundane labor, compelling us to consider the socio-economic context that shapes art production. What is omitted, that background, also comes into play. Editor: So the artwork is not just about what we see, but also about understanding the process and the social ideas behind it. Does the specific choice of acrylic have something to do with it, with that tension between labor and "art"? Curator: The selection of materials is key! Acrylic paint allowed Ufan to build texture rapidly, mimicking natural processes like erosion and accumulation. This mass-produced, industrial material mimics something handmade and unique, pointing back to labor and our perception of what creates aesthetic experience. Editor: I never thought about paint having that kind of voice before, I thought the aesthetic considerations were the point, but looking at the process, materials, and production adds a new layer. Curator: It's transformative. Considering the materials helps unlock deeper understandings about production and artist's choices!