Image provided by Mayfair Art Weekend

Saturday, 2 July 2022

By Mira El-Khalil

On the 20^th of June 2022, a curious set of sculptures appeared in Grosvenor Square in the city of London. The day was blessed with pleasant weather, inviting the neighborhood outdoors to see the sun and spend some time in the square. It was immediately noticeable that something had changed and that the garden looked unusually embellished. Soon enough, the square’s visitors explored the surprise of two eye-grabbing sculptures. Most popular was a tree-like figure that had the garden’s visitors stopping to photograph it as they expressed their adoration for the shape of the sculpture which emulated a live creature.

Image of the sculpture in Grosvenor Square W1K 4AE London on the 20th of June 2022. Image provided by the article’s author.

The curious-looking metal tree is in fact titled “Human-Shaped Pine Tree” and it is an art piece by Korean artist Lee Gil Rae. The piece was made in 2015 using steel and copper. The work is a part of a larger series by the artist. Lee Gil Rae received his Master’s degree from the Department of Sculpture at Kyunghee University. He had his first solo exhibition in 1991 through Ye-Hyang Gallery in Seoul and his latest solo exhibition in 2017 through Opera Gallery in New York. The artist has won several awards for his art practice and is a part of permanent collections in many cities including Seoul and London.

The artist was inspired to create The Pine Tree series as the pine tree is a meaningful symbol of culture and spirituality in Korea. As the planet is slowly unclothing towards deforestation, the artist wanted to create a sort of man-made nature. The pieces are of many sizes and are exhibited all around the world.

The three images of the sculptures above are provided by the artist.

Lee Gil Rae’s current presence in the London Art Market is thanks to Opera Gallery. Opera Gallery is one of the many names participating in the Mayfair Sculpture Trail presented by Mayfair Art Weekend and Art in Mayfair. In collaboration with several galleries, sculptures have appeared around public spaces in Mayfair in London and will be kept there from the 20th of June till the 31st of July 2022.

The pages below include the map of the sculpture trail and the pieces to discover. The map and the information about the sculptures are provided by Mayfair Art Weekend through their catalog.

The trail doesn’t only introduce new pieces to the crowds but highlights sculptures that have been there all along but that are often standing still unnoticed as they have become part of Mayfair’s landscape.

Ⓒ Mira El-Khalil is an art market specialist with works in art writing, dealing, and curating. El-Khalil is the Creative Direction of Mira El-Khalil House of Art and acts as Editor In Chief of House of Art Magazine. 

   @miraelkhali