Forged art controversy reignites involving Korean painter Lee Ufan

A fresh controversy has emerged involving Lee Ufan, a world-renowned painter in contemporary Korean art, as accusations of forgery lead to a lawsuit filed overseas.

The South China Morning Post reported on Dec. 25 that a South Korean woman has filed a lawsuit in a Hong Kong court, claiming that a painting she purchased for $920,000 is a forgery.

The painting in question is Dialogue, created in 2014, and the plaintiff has been identified as Choi Eun-ha. However, little information about her has been disclosed.

Choi alleges that she acquired the artwork from Lawrence Van Hagen, a prominent figure in the art world and the founder of the art advisory firm LVH Art.

Van Hagen also serves as a director for Smart Fine Art Asia, an art trading company registered in Hong Kong.

Despite the lawsuit, Van Hagen reportedly maintains that the painting in question is an authentic work by Lee Ufan.

This is not the first time Lee Ufan has been entangled in allegations of forgery. In 2016, a series of disputes arose over the authenticity of several works from his Point and Line series, prompting police investigations.

Lee Ufan, a philosopher by training, has garnered international acclaim for his unique reinterpretation of minimalism through an Eastern philosophical lens.

He is celebrated for pushing the boundaries of minimalist art, and his influence extends far beyond South Korea.