[Book Sip] A Brilliant but Lonely Life... 10 Masters Selected by a Docent with 10 Years of Experience

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The author, who has conducted over 3,000 guided tours across more than 70 exhibitions over 10 years, introduces 10 masters of modern and contemporary art. From Korean modern art pioneers ‘Lee Jung-seop, Park Soo-keun, Lee Quade, Chun Kyung-ja, Na Hye-seok’ to renowned international painters such as ‘Claude Monet, Raoul Dufy, Paul C?zanne, Ren? Magritte, Edgar Degas,’ the book conveys the lives of famous artists. It highlights the uniqueness of their paintings amid lives that harbored loneliness beneath brilliance. Additionally, it provides information on domestic art museums ideal for viewing such works. For example, you can visit the tragic genius painter Lee Quade, who was erased in both South and North Korea, at Daegu Art Museum; see Park Soo-keun, who depicted human kindness and sincerity, at the Park Soo-keun Museum; and encounter Raoul Dufy, the painter who loved the sea, at Hasul Art World.

〈Inside the Alley〉 was first encountered at the 2013 exhibition 〈Meeting Masterpieces: 100 Selections of Korean Modern and Contemporary Paintings〉 held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung Branch. It was 10 years ago when I was dreaming of becoming a docent and studying by visiting various exhibitions. ... The poster of 〈Inside the Alley〉 gave me the impression that it expressed ordinary daily life with unique colors. However, the artwork I faced at the exhibition captured my attention with a completely different atmosphere. It was because of the rough, uneven surface that looked as if stones had been scraped off. What kind of materials were used? - p.20, from "Even on Exhausting Days, Kindness and Sincerity Are Always Nearby"

Although Park Soo-keun dealt with ordinary subjects, what made his works distinctive was his method of expression. When you face his works up close, you can feel a very rough, bumpy texture. ... In fact, his paintings were made with oil paints, which we commonly encounter in museums. He removed as much water and oil from the oil paint as possible, applied horizontal brush strokes and let it dry, then applied vertical brush strokes and dried it again, repeating this process. - p.29, from "Even on Exhausting Days, Kindness and Sincerity Are Always Nearby"

The Park Soo-keun Museum itself is designed like a meeting with the artist Park Soo-keun. When you see the walls wrapped in blocks of granite that have not been cemented, you recall the granite texture in his works. The laundry site where he first met his beloved wife Kim Bok-soon is also recreated. Additionally, the trees that frequently appear in his paintings can be found around the museum. In this way, the Yanggu County Park Soo-keun Museum is a museum imbued with his spirit, so I highly recommend visiting it at least once. - p.39, from "Korean Gem Museums Perfect for Accompanying Park Soo-keun's Stories"

While giving a guided tour at Soma Museum of Art’s 〈Revisiting: Korean Modern and Contemporary Art Exhibition〉, there was one artwork that many visitors stopped in front of. Everyone was busy taking photos in front of the piece. I too was captivated at first glance by the work, 〈Self-Portrait Wearing a Durumagi〉. ... The history of the introduction of the name ‘Lee Quade’ and the recognition of his works is shorter than expected. This is because he crossed over to North Korea after the Korean War. ... In the era of division, Lee Quade was erased both in South and North Korea, becoming a painter who could not exist anywhere. Let us rediscover the works of Lee Quade together. - p.46, from "When Small Choices Become Waves, Still My Life Is Rosy"

There is a museum that holds works by Lee Quade. It is the Daegu Art Museum. ... The Daegu Art Museum holds Lee Quade’s 〈Harbor〉. This is a precious work reflecting the artist’s perspective after defecting to the North. It is also a very valuable trace showing that he continued to paint even after defecting. - p.65, from "Korean Gem Museums Perfect for Accompanying Lee Quade's Stories"

Holiday in Museum | Written by Han I-jun | Heurim Publishing | 304 pages | 19,000 KRW

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