Lee Bul, Via Negativa II (2012), via Art Observed

On view at Lehmann Maupin in New York is an exhibition of works by South Korean artist Lee Bul, exploring “the intrinsic tension within utopian idealism,” and composed of sculptural works and large-scale installations.  Addressing humanity’s vision of an ideal future, the works focus on formal, architectural, and theoretical concepts, moving away from her former focus on the human form and into a consideration of the larger human environment.

Lee Bul, Untitled sculpture (M5) (2014), via Art Observed

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Jeppe Hein, 360Ëš Illusion III (2007), via Sophie Kitching for Art Observed

Currently on view at Saint Agnes in Berlin, Gallery Johann König presents YOU, a striking selection of new works by Danish-born, Berlin-based artist Jeppe Hein, continuing the artist’s unique exploration into the phenomena of the human visual system, and its role in defining a body in space.

Jeppe Hein, YOU (Installation View), via Sophie Kitching for Art Observed

Concerning himself with the perceptual investigations of Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Hein’s work is an investigation into the act of “embodied experience,” expressed not merely through a series of trompe l’oeil  trickeries, but rather in complex optical illusions that force the viewer into a visual and physical relationship with space itself.  Best expressed through his enormous mirrored projects, the body is as much a part of the work as the eye, using its physical presence and the perceptual inputs tied to the brain as a way to subvert an easily codified version of reality.

Jeppe Hein, 360Ëš Illusion III (2007), via Sophie Kitching for Art Observed

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The New York Times reports on the newest art commission for Dior Homme’s 57th street location in New York City, a polished and cut steel mirror by artist Matt Keegan.  “There’s a number of ways to look at it,” Mr. Keegan said. “But my interest was not in the merger of disciplines. It was in seeing how the sculpture functions on a heavily trafficked street.” (more…)

Anish Kapoor, The Death of Leviathan (2011-2013), via Martin-Gropius-Bau

Covering more than 3,000 square feet in the Martin-Gropius Bau, Kapoor in Berlin is one of the Berliner Festspiele’s tentpole events this summer, examining the pioneering work of Anish Kapoor’s sculptural practice against the backdrop of his German contemporaries and influences.  Composed of almost 70 works, the exhibition serves as an examination of the Turner Prize winner’s work of the past 30 years.

Anish Kapoor, Shooting Into the Corner (2008-2009), via The Guardian (more…)

The Wall Street Journal reports on the popularity of mirrored works on sale at the recently-concluded 2013 edition of Art Basel in Switzerland.  Reflective works by Anish Kapoor, Doug Aitken, Virginia Overton and others sold well this year, continuing the recent trends toward glass and mirrored works that seem to be appearing across the contemporary landscape.  When pressed for comment, dealer Eva Scherr noted: “narcissism often plays a role.”  (more…)