Jeonnam Provincial Art Museum Opens 'Lee Kun-hee Collection Special Exhibition' on the 17th

Masterpieces by 43 Artists Presented Until October 29

The Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art announced on the 14th that it will hold the "Lee Kun-hee Collection Special Exhibition on Modern and Contemporary Korean Art: Encounter" from the 17th to October 29.

Lee Jung-seop White Ox 1953_54 Oil on paper 307x41.6cm
[Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Lee Kun-hee Collection]

This special exhibition is part of the regional tour of the Lee Kun-hee Collection by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, planned to reflect on the significance of the donation by the late Lee Kun-hee (1942?2020), former chairman of Samsung Group, who loved culture and art.

This is the second special exhibition of the Lee Kun-hee Collection held at the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art. While the museum previously focused on 19 works donated in 2021, this exhibition expands the scope to include donations from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and Daegu Art Museum, showcasing over 60 works by 43 artists.

"Lee Kun-hee Collection Special Exhibition on Modern and Contemporary Korean Art: Encounter" introduces works divided into three themes, following the flow of the subjects expressed by modern and contemporary Korean artists and the words written in the artists' notes.

The themes of Parts 1, 2, and 3 of the exhibition are selected and excerpted from passages in the artists' essay collections or hwamun (畵文, painting texts). Through the artists' writings, which contain the pain and joy of creation, visitors can vividly feel the artists' poetic inspiration and artistic creativity. The exhibition space is arranged with abundant archival materials alongside the artworks to aid visitors' understanding.

The first part of the exhibition, "In Harmony with Nature," is excerpted from Kim Ki-chang's words, "Those who are in harmony with nature always have a calm mind."

In this section, visitors can encounter figurative paintings and sculptures that praise nature in their own ways by capturing visible beauty. Along with Yoo Young-guk, who interpreted the emotions derived from the great nature, works by Kim Whanki, who expressed images from nature as beautiful poetic ideas, Oh Ji-ho, who captured the clear and warm atmosphere of the southern region, and ink wash paintings by Lee Sang-beom and Heo Baek-ryeon, who colored their experiences of landscapes with free lines and colors, are exhibited.

O Ji-ho Landscape with Apricot Blossoms 1980 Oil on canvas 48.5x60cm [Photo courtesy of Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art Lee Kun-hee Collection]

The second part, "Between Life and Art," closely engages with the real world, allowing visitors to read various stories of life, from everyday scenes to ways humans interact with nature. The exhibition features works by Park Soo-keun, Lee Jung-seop, and Jang Uk-jin, who sincerely portrayed human figures, as well as works by Kim Young-joo and Ryu Kyung-chae, who reflected on human existence confronting society. Additionally, sculptures by Kwon Jin-gyu, expressing human figures in strong and condensed forms, are presented.

The third part, "Towards Transcendence and Creation," presents original works based on experiments with new materials and styles.

Inspired by Kwak In-sik's statement, "Art pursues the surface and transcends the surface," this section focuses on the materiality of materials and the essence of form, exhibiting sculptures by Kim Jong-young and Kim Jung-sook, along with abstract paintings by Lee Ungno, Ha In-du, Moon Hak-jin, and Bang Hye-ja, who developed conceptual art worlds encompassing both traditional and modern painting.

Jang Uk-jin, Pavilion Under the Tree, 1986, Oil on canvas, 32.5x26.5cm
[Photo provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Lee Kun-hee Collection]

Each exhibition hall is designed to allow visitors to encounter key artists' writings, enabling them to immerse themselves deeply in the artistic spirit of the era and the artists. Alongside the exhibition, the museum has organized rich materials collected and researched over time into videos and printed materials for visitors to access. Special lectures on Korean art history for visitors will also be held four times between September and October.

Lee Ji-ho, director of the Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art, said, "This exhibition was planned to honor the noble intention of the late Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Group, who wished to share his love for our cultural heritage and artworks. The Lee Kun-hee Collection exhibition includes many works by modern and contemporary art masters from Jeonnam, and by presenting materials left by these artists during their lifetimes, visitors can also appreciate the museum's accumulated efforts in collection and research."

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