Genesis Facade Commission

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has unveiled its latest Genesis Facade Commission, Lee Bul: Long Tail Halo, on view from September 12th, 2024, to May 27th, 2025. This marks the South Korean artist’s first major project in the United States in over two decades, following her solo exhibition at the New Museum in 2002. Lee Bul, known for her innovative use of industrial and labor-intensive materials, has created four sculptures that blend abstract and figurative elements, responding to The Met’s iconic facade.

The project’s title, Long Tail Halo, reflects Lee’s exploration of the complex relationship between progress, aspiration, and disillusionment. Two of the sculptures, Long Tail Halo: CTCS #1 and Long Tail Halo: CTCS #2, flank the museum’s entrance. These towering forms evoke human figures while referencing Cubist and Futurist aesthetics, Greco-Roman statues, and The Met’s collection of armor. Their intricate structures merge the classical with the futuristic, hinting at both human strength and vulnerability.

The other two sculptures, Long Tail Halo: Secret Sharer II and Long Tail Halo: Secret Sharer III, feature hunched figures surrounded by cascading prisms. Their poses, inspired by the artist’s pets, suggest a sense of protection and quiet contemplation. These pieces symbolize the fragility of the human condition and our ongoing quest for perfection amid the inevitable challenges and failures of progress.

Lee Bul’s work is renowned for its sophisticated craftsmanship, combining materials like metal, plastic, silicone, and glass with a deep engagement with cultural history and technological innovation. Her sculptures for The Met’s facade reflect her signature approach of intertwining personal narratives with broader social and historical themes.

This commission is the fifth in The Met’s contemporary facade series, following previous installations by artists such as Wangechi Mutu and Carol Bove. The Genesis partnership aims to foster a dialogue between artists, The Met’s collection, and its audience, encouraging reflections on the evolving relationship between art, history, and society.

Lee Bul’s Long Tail Halo engages viewers with its striking, hybrid forms, offering a powerful meditation on the tension between human ambition and the forces that shape our world. The works invite audiences to reflect on the timeless themes of transformation, resilience, and the ongoing search for meaning.