Lee Doo-shik exhibition shifts to memorial

At Hongik Museum of Art, a painting by Lee Doo-shik with vivid colors and energetic forms marks a sad contrast to a memorial altar for the renowned artist, who died unexpectedly of a heart attack two weeks ago.

Hongik University will hold a symposium for artist Lee Doo-shik tomorrow afternoon to commemorate the famous abstract painter and professor at the university who suddenly died two weeks ago.

The university’s contemporary art museum, Hongik Museum of Art, said in a statement last week the symposium will be held from 5 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. at K building on the university’s campus in western Seoul. Yoo Jae-kil, director of the museum and professor of art studies, will join three other art historians critics in presenting papers about Lee.

Now in the museum, located near the main gate of the campus, is an ongoing solo exhibition of Lee, titled “Lee Doo-shik: Expression, Color and Abstraction,” that runs until tomorrow.

The show, which had been planned to celebrate Lee’s retirement as a professor at regular retirement age, unexpectedly turned into an exhibition in his memory. He attended the opening of the exhibition on Friday, apparently full of vigor according to Yoo and other professors close to him. However, he passed away Saturday morning of a heart attack at 66.

“[Lee] attached great importance to this exhibition and worked very hard to prepare for it. Maybe that was one reason,” Yoo said.

Lee debuted in the late 1960s and is best known for his abstract paintings, which are mainly in vivid primary colors and show strong energy and emotion through the flow and form.

The exhibition shows 24 pieces of his latest work with a cheerful mood under a “festival” theme. It makes a sad contrast to a mourning section with his photo and flowers that was installed after his death.

By Moon So-young [symoon@joongang.co.kr]