F rom Line 780224 emerges from Lee Ufan’s foundational and most coveted series of works, embodying the artist's profound meditations on process, materiality, and infinity. Originally first acquired directly from the artist by a prominent Korean Artist who previously collaborated with Lee Ufan, this painting appears at auction for the first t.mes in nearly a decade. This is a rare opportunity to obtain a large-scale, premier example from this pivotal series.

Lee Ufan’s method is a study in intentionality and process. His selection of a canvas and use of transparent animal glue as a binder for mineral pigments are deliberate choices that highlight the innate qualities of his materials. This philosophy aligns with his role as a key theorist of Japan’s Mono-ha (School of Things) movement, which championed the unadorned beauty of raw elements in careful arrangement. Lee’s practice is one of quiet reverence—subtle, restrained, and deeply humble. Each composition, often consisting of just a few strokes brushed onto a white ground, adheres to the principle of yohaku, or “the art of emptiness.” While the gestures may appear similar, each is unique, varying in pressure, density, and pigment concentration. The brushstroke builds into a raised ridge upon contact before gracefully dissolving into translucence, capturing a single moment of becoming.

This delicate gradation of tone illustrates a central dialogue in Lee’s work: the dynamic interplay between painted and unpainted space. He establishes a balance of equals, where presence and absence hold identical weight in achieving the work's visual and spiritual equilibrium. This exploration of space invites comparison to Lucio Fontana; however, Lee inverts the Italian artist's concept. Where Fontana saw the canvas as a positive field interrupted by negative slashes, Lee identifies the untouched ground as the vital negative space that gives meaning to the positive, painted mark.

For Lee Ufan, as for many Korean artists of his generation, the singular brushstroke carries immense philosophical weight. Its repetition becomes a meditative act, a means of contemplating the passage of t.mes . Each stroke is a transient moment—both fleeting and eternally preserved—serving as a record of lived experience and focused reflection. Thus, From Line No. 780224 transcends being a mere object; it becomes a temporal diary, charting the artist's enduring pursuit of purity in both material and method.

Lee’s unique aesthetic is deeply rooted in a synthesis of cultural heritage and contemporary philosophy. Born in Korea in 1936, he moved to Japan in 1956 and graduated from Nihon University with a degree in philosophy in 1961. His dual practice as an artist, critic, and philosopher positioned him within international postwar dialogues. By rejecting the conventions of traditional Nihonga painting and embracing abstraction, he forged a new path. His breakthrough lay in employing traditional Eastern materials on a Western support, creating a powerful conceptual fusion that continues to influence artists globally.

《從線 780224》是李禹煥最根本且最受追捧的系列作品之一，體現了藝術家對創作過程、材料性和無限的深刻思考。該作品最初由一位與李禹煥合作過的著名韓國藝術家直接購得，此次拍賣是該畫作近十年來首次亮相，為藏家購得此關鍵系列大尺幅優秀作品的難得機會。

李禹煥的創作方法是對意圖與過程的研究。他選用畫布並使用透明的動物膠作為礦物顏料的粘合劑，這些都是有意義的選擇，旨在突出他材料的內在特性。這一理念與他作為日本“物派”運動的重要理論家角色相吻合，該運動主張原始元素在排列中的無修飾之美。李禹煥的藝術實踐是一種無聲的崇敬——微妙、克制且深具謙卑。每一幅作品，通常由幾筆刷在白色底面上，遵循“余白”（yohaku）這一原則，或稱“空虛的藝術”。儘管這些筆觸看似相似，但每一筆都是獨特的，在壓力、密度和顏料濃度上各不相同。筆觸接觸後形成一條凸起的脊，而後優雅地融化為透明，捕捉每一個變化的瞬間。

這種細膩的漸變色調展示了李禹煥的作品中的一個核心對話： 畫和留白空間之間的動態互動。他建立了一種平衡，存在與缺失在達成作品的視覺與精神平衡中同樣重要。這一空間的探索讓人聯想到盧西奧·方塔納（Lucio Fontana）；然而，李禹煥反轉了這位意大利藝術家的概念。在方塔納看來，畫布是一個正向空間，再被劈開時通向負空間；而李禹煥則視原始的畫布為賦予正向、上色標記意義的關鍵負空間。

對於李禹煥來說，與其同一代的許多韓國藝術家一樣，獨特的筆觸承載著巨大的哲學意義。重複成為一種冥想的行為，反映時間的流逝。每一筆都是瞬息而逝的時刻——既短暫又永恆被保留——作為生活經歷和專注思考的記錄。因此，《從線 780224》不僅僅是一個物體；它成為了一本時間日記，記錄著藝術家對材料和方法的純粹追求。

李禹煥的獨特美學深深根植於文化遺產與當代哲學中。他於1936年出生於韓國，1956年移居日本，並於1961年以哲學學位畢業於日本大學。作為藝術家、批評家和哲學家的雙重身份，讓他在國際戰後對話中佔據了一席之地。通過拒絕傳統日本畫的慣例並擁抱抽象，他開創了一條新路。他在西方的語境中適用傳統東方材料，創造出一種強有力的概念融合，並持續影響著全球藝術家。