Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art Receives Donation of 21 Pieces from Late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee's Collection

Among the collection of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee donated to the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art is the work "Harbor Scene" by artist Oh Ji-ho. Photo by Jeonnam Province

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art (Director Lee Jiho) announced on the 28th that it received a donation of 21 works by Korean art masters from Jeonnam among the collection of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee.

The donated works are by representative artists from the Jeonnam region who played a pivotal role in the history of modern and contemporary Korean art.

It is expected to greatly contribute to strengthening the exhibition and research functions based on the museum's collection.

The main donated artists include Uijae Heo Baek-ryeon from Jindo, Oh Ji-ho from Hwasun, Kim Hwan-ki from Sinan, and Cheon Kyung-ja from Goheung.

In addition, a total of nine artists representing modern and contemporary Korean art, including Kim Eun-ho, Yoo Young-guk, Lim Jik-soon, Yoo Kang-yeol, and Park Dae-sung, were included.

Among the donated works, Kim Hwan-ki’s “Untitled” is a cross composition crossing the screen before the start of full-surface pointillism. It is expected to elevate the prestige of the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art’s collection.

Also donated were works such as Cheon Kyung-ja’s representative pieces “Flowers and Butterflies” and “Full Catch,” which sought to transcend the medium of Oriental painting through experiments in the 1970s.

“Full Catch,” painted by mixing pigment with earth and applying it on paper, is a work that clearly reveals the texture of the material. The use of materials, rarely seen in Cheon Kyung-ja’s works, stands out.

Among the five donated works by Oh Ji-ho, “Landscape,” “Landscape with Peach Blossoms,” “Lingering Snow,” and “Harbor Landscape” clearly show his unique brushwork that seems to circulate air within the screen.

Idang Kim Eun-ho’s “Pheasant - Ssangchido,” “Landscape Folding Screen of Ten Panels,” and “Carp” are works that reveal his soft and delicate brushwork. Yoo Young-guk’s “Mountain” and “Untitled” are representative works that reduce mountains to basic geometric elements such as circles and triangles, revealing his artistic world.

Since high-quality art donations are rare, Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art plans to hold an exhibition centered on these donated works to share the joy of enjoying art culture with the residents.

The Samsung Collection donation exhibition is scheduled to open to the public on September 1. Afterwards, a separate section for Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s collection will be prepared to continue the late chairman’s wish for many visitors to see, enjoy, and share the works.

Moreover, the donated works will be used as basic materials for artist research and to revitalize art history studies.

Meanwhile, the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art, which opened in March and has been meeting the high expectations of the art world and residents, is expected to solidify its collection base to a higher level through this donation and become a center for fostering regional culture through research and exhibitions. This sends a positive signal that enjoying art culture, which has been concentrated in Seoul and the metropolitan area, is fully possible in the regions as well.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.