Mire Lee to be next Commission Artist for Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall

Mire Lee is known for her visceral sculptures which use kinetic, mechanised elements to invoke the tension between soft forms and rigid systems. Her new site-specific work for the Turbine Hall will be open to the public from 8 October 2024 to 16 March 2025. This will be the first major presentation of Lee’s work in the UK.

Born in South Korea in 1988, Lee lives and works between Amsterdam and Seoul. Using industrial materials such as steel rods, cement, silicone, oil and clay, her work explores the animated nature of these materials as they pour, drip and bulge. Lee’s sculptures have a raw, organic appearance with elements suggestive of living organisms which are combined with machine parts. Motors or pumps channel oozing liquids through them with an unsettling effect. Lee is interested in the power of sculpture to affect both the viewer and the immediate surroundings and is unafraid to push artistic boundaries in spectacular ways. Her atmospheric sculptures and installations engage the senses and create spaces to reflect on themes of emotion and human desire.

Karin Hindsbo, Director of Tate Modern, said: “Mire Lee is one of today’s most intriguing and original contemporary artists and we are delighted she will be creating her first work in the UK here at Tate Modern. Lee produces powerful sculptures, and we look forward to seeing how she transforms the iconic Turbine Hall with her subversive, multi-sensory forms.”

DooEun Choi, Art Director of Hyundai Motor Company, said: “Mire Lee's sculptures offer a sensorial encounter, exploring the relationship between organic forms and mechanical elements. We anticipate delving into Lee's unique perspective in her upcoming work for the Hyundai Commission, fostering a profound understanding of interconnectedness."

Since Tate Modern opened in 2000, the Turbine Hall has hosted some of the world’s most memorable and acclaimed works of contemporary art, reaching an audience of millions each year. The way artists have interpreted this vast industrial space has revolutionised public perceptions of contemporary art in the twenty-first century. The annual Hyundai Commission gives artists an opportunity to create new work for this unique context. The commissions are made possible by the long-term partnership between Tate and Hyundai Motor, confirmed until 2026 as part of the longest initial commitment from a corporate partner in Tate’s history.

Main Image :Mire Lee. Courtesy of the artist and Tina Kim Gallery. Photo: Melissa Schriek.