Exhibition on Korean Contemporary Art

A new exhibition at the National Museum of Contemporary Art, “An Aspect of Korean Contemporary Art”, attempts to delineate the history of Modern Art in Korea. A source at the museum explained, “We're trying to give a general overview of Korean Modernism from the fifties and sixties.” This exhibtion showcases works from the mid-fifties when abstract art was in its intial stages to works from the early and mid-sixties when informal art (abstract expressionism) reached its zenith in Korea.

Of the 200 works by more than 100 artists exhibited are Kim Whan-ki's “Mountain Moon”(1958), Yoo Young-kuk's “Mountain”(1959), Park Rae-hyun's “Street Stall”(1956), and Kim Jong-young's “Number 583”(1958).

The 'Quartet Exhibit' showcasing works by Kim Choong-sun, Moon Woo-sik, Kim Young-whan and Park Seo-bo will be shown together for the first time in 44 years. The Quartet's works are known for their revolutionary anti-government thematics from the early fifties.

“An Aspect of Korean Contemporary Art” include Korean paintings and sculpture typical of the informal sixties. Reknown Asian painters Lee Eung-ro, Kim Ki-chang, Park Rae-hyun, Seo Se-ok and Min Kyung-gab display their paintings, while sculptors Kim Jong-young, Song Young-soo, Kim Jung-sook, and Kim Chan-sik display their sculptures.

The exhibition will also display recently discovered works such as Nahm Kwan's “Sunset”(1958), Park Hang-seob's “Fishermen”(1959), Yang Sua's “Art Piece”(1962), and Lee Kyu-sang's “Composition”(1963) for the first time in more than 40 years. Also, works by Han Yong-jin, borrowed from the U.S., and by Hahm Dae-jeong will be showcased at the exhibition.

by Cho Hyun-uk