Guided tour of Relatum: Lee Ufan at the Palais des Papes

This guided tour of the Palais des Papes in Avignon presents Relatum, an installation by Lee Ufan, an internationally renowned artist invited by the City of Avignon.

A Gothic UNESCO monument meets the work of Lee Ufan

The Palais des Papes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, brings sacred architecture together with an artwork of remarkably intense spirituality. The Gothic monument thus becomes the setting for a major encounter.

This international presentation is part of the celebrations marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea, in which Avignon takes a broad part. It also echoes the Festival d’Avignon, whose 80th edition chose the Korean language as its guest.

Lee Ufan, from Korea to Japan, with a museum in Arles

Born in Korea, Lee Ufan moved to Japan at the age of twenty. Today he divides his life and work among three countries: Japan, France and the United States. His works are held in the world’s greatest museum collections, and 2026 is a year full of news for him.

Following exhibitions at the Centre Pompidou-Metz and at the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin, he opened two major projects in May: one on Saint Mark’s Square in Venice, the other at Dia Beacon, near New York.

His bond with Provence is deep and of long standing. Arles is home to one of the three museums devoted to his work worldwide, housed in the Hôtel Vernon. The other two are in Naoshima, Japan, and in Busan, Korea.

Relatum: stone, slate, steel and aluminium in dialogue

The word Relatum, which gives the installation its title, lies at the heart of the artist’s approach. It points to the way elements are placed in relation to one another: natural materials (stone, slate) meet manufactured ones (steel, aluminium) in a poetic pairing. It also suggests the “invisible tension” that arises between the work and its surroundings.

Visitors enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience made of silence, philosophy and harmony, which Lee Ufan envisages as “a moment that lets us feel the breath of the infinite”.

The tour lasts 1 hour 30 minutes. Please note that it cannot be accessed by visitors with reduced mobility or with pushchairs.