'Silver-White Painter' Kim Hyung-geun Passes Away from Illness at Age 93

Painter Kim Hyung-geun, widely known for his works with a silver-white background and called the "Painter of Silver White," passed away from old age at 2:55 a.m. on the 7th at Busan Hanyang Rheumatism Hospital. He was 93 years old.

Born in 1930 in Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, the late artist graduated from Tongyeong Fisheries School and worked as a teacher before being commissioned as a second lieutenant during the Korean War. He was discharged as a captain in 1958. Afterward, he attended the College of Political Science and Law at Korea University (now Konkuk University), and in the 1960s, he worked as a public official in Chungmu (Tongyeong) City while passionately pursuing his artistic spirit. He established the Najeon Chilgi Cooperative and was recognized for planning the "Little Painter Sketch Contest" and the "Hansan Battle Commemoration Festival," receiving the Gyeongnam Cultural Award in 1968.

Artist Kim Hyung-geun
[Photo by Kim Dal-jin Art Museum]

In 1970, he won the Presidential Award for his work "Target" and received several awards at the National Art Exhibition. The following year, in 1971, he held solo exhibitions at multiple galleries in New York, USA. After returning to Korea, he worked as a professor in the Department of Painting at the Capital Women's Teachers College (now Sejong University). In 1992, he served as the chief judge of the National Art Exhibition.

His works include "Truth, Hope" located at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office building in Seocho-dong, Seoul, and "Justice and Peace, and Utopia 1" at the Judicial Research and Training Institute. In 2018, his piece "Target" was exhibited at the Blue House Sarangchae during the Blue House Collection Art Exhibition. During his lifetime, he stated, "Silver white is the color of Korea."

He is survived by his wife Lee Geum-bok, two sons, and four daughters: sons Kim Il-ju and Kim Seong-ju, and daughters Kim Yang-sun, Kim Seong-hee, Kim Mal-hee, and Kim Jong-hee. The funeral is being held at Room 107 of the Haeundae Paik Hospital Funeral Hall in Busan. The funeral procession will take place at 6 a.m. on the 9th, and the burial site is the National Daejeon Cemetery.

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