Views of Lee Bae's exhibition "En attendant" at Abbey of Beaulieu-en-Rouergue, Ginals, France (Courtesy of the artist, Centre des monuments nationaux, Perrotin) Korean artist Lee Bae has transformed the French medieval monastery, Abbaye de Beaulieu-en-Rouergue, into a contemplative setting for his charcoal works, bringing them into dialogue with centuries-old Cistercian architecture."En attendant," meaning "waiting" in French, runs from June 25 to Sept. 30 and features 23 works, including drawings, installations and sculptures.Organized by France's Centre des monuments nationaux, or the National Monuments Centre in English, in collaboration with Perrotin Gallery, the exhibition unfolds throughout the abbey in Ginals, a village in the Tarn-et-Garonne region of southern France.Founded in the 12th century, the Abbey of Beaulieu-en-Rouergue belongs to the Cistercian order, one of the Catholic Church's principal monastic orders established in Citeaux, France. Views of Lee Bae's exhibition "En attendant" at Abbey of Beaulieu-en-Rouergue, Ginals, France (Centre des monuments nationaux, Perrotin) Although the abbey lost its religious function after being sold as national property during the French Revolution, it was revived from the 1950s through the efforts of art critic Genevieve Bonnefoi and businessman and collector Pierre Brache, eventually becoming an important venue for modern and contemporary art, according to Perrotin Gallery.The historic site offers a setting that closely resonates with Lee's exploration of charcoal as both material and metaphor.Working almost exclusively with charcoal for more than three decades, Lee regards the medium as a symbol of transformation — born from fire and embodying destruction and renewal.At the heart of the exhibition is a 25-meter installation stretching through the abbey's nave, accompanied by a 10-meter bronze sculpture and other site-responsive works that engage with the building's light, silence and architectural rhythm.The exhibition is part of Lee's expanding international presence. His work is currently on view at the He Art Museum in China through Dec. 6, while the artist’s solo exhibition at Museum San is on view in Wonju, Korea.A solo exhibition at Perrotin Paris is also scheduled during Art Basel Paris in October.