Hyundai Motor's Exhibition Opening: "Space Between: Modern Korean Art"

Kim Eung-won, Seok Rando, early 20th century, in the collection of LACMA (c) LACMA

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Hyun-seok] Hyundai Motor Company announced on the 12th that it will hold the 7th exhibition of 'The Hyundai Project' and the 2nd project of the Korean Art History Research Program at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) from September 11 to February 19, 2023.

'Space in Between: Modern Korean Art' will exhibit over 130 artworks by 88 artists who were actively working and influencing each other during the formative period of modern Korean art from 1897 to 1965. Visitors can also appreciate 63 artworks from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, as well as several private collections, including those owned by the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, which have not been publicly displayed before.

In particular, the exhibition plans to showcase the artistic worlds of European, American, and Japanese artists who influenced and were influenced by the formation of modern Korean art during various periods of overseas cultural exchange from the late Joseon Dynasty to before Korea’s liberation. Alongside this, diverse works in oil painting, photography, sculpture, and other fields from the transitional period following the Korean War into the modern and contemporary era will be connected in a single narrative to provide a new perspective on Korean art of the modern period.

This large-scale exhibition focusing on the modern Korean period is the first of its kind to be presented by a Western art institution and is part of the Korean Art History Research Program under the long-term partnership between LACMA and Hyundai Motor Company. It was prepared through extensive research and planning. An English catalog will also be published.

The exhibition holds significant art historical meaning in that it emphasizes the modern period connecting tradition and contemporary art, rather than focusing on traditional Korean artifacts or contemporary artworks, which have been mainly introduced in the West.

Michael Govan, Director of LACMA, said, "Space in Between: Modern Korean Art highlights the modern period, a crucial turning point in Korean art history when new and diverse creative attempts by artists emerged through contact and exchange with other cultures." He added, "We are grateful to Hyundai Motor Company for supporting us in sharing new perspectives on Korean art through this long-term partnership."

A Hyundai Motor Company official explained, "The Korean Art History Research Program is special in that it reexamines Korean art history and shares it with audiences worldwide. We expect this exhibition to open a meaningful dialogue by broadly reinterpreting the modernity of Korean art, which was formed through various historical turning points."

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