The present lot, painted in 1980, is a stunning example of Lee Ufan’s signature From Line series, of which the artist dedicated over ten years of his life between 1973 and 1984. A leading figure of the Japanese avant-garde movement Mono-Ha, Ufan sought to abandon traditional western notions of representation in response to the rapid industrialisation of Japan occurring in the 1970s. Instead, Lee meditated upon his Confucian roots, drawing upon calligraphy and Nihon-ga (Japanese-style painting) as sources of inspiration in his art. In From Line No. 80033, twenty-two vertical lines extend across the canvas, each one varying in thickness of stroke, and ultimately evaporating as the paint is used up. The rich blue hue, which the artist fashioned himself by mixing powdered cobalt pigment with glue, vibrates against the pale yellow wash of the canvas. Equal importance is placed on the line, and the deliberate absence of line, lending both a sense of rhythm and stillness to the composition as a whole. To create these works, the artist rotated the canvas 90 degrees, pulling the brush horizontally from left to right in repetitive, fluid motions. In describing his practice the artist notes, “Before working, I calm my breathing, correct my posture, and hold my brush quietly” (Lee Ufan, quoted in Lee Ufan, exh. cat., PaceWildenstein, New York, 2008, p. 7). The act of painting thus becomes a ritualistic, meditative process, resulting in a work of art that possesses a dramatic, yet exquisite simplicity.