Questions Drawn from the Archives... Leeum to Present "The Records of Iguyul Lee"

Leeum Museum of Art is launching its first archive research program based on the records of Lee Guyeol, recognized as South Korea's first professional art journalist and researcher.

Lee Guyeol in his office (1976). Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art

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On April 8, Leeum Museum of Art announced that it will hold the 2026 Archive Research Program, "After the Archive: Records of Lee Guyeol," from April 10 to June 14 at Leeum Museum of Art in Hannam-dong, Seoul.

This program marks the first research initiative and exhibition based on the materials donated by Lee Guyeol, which served as the starting point for the Leeum Archive. The focus is not only on making these materials public, but also on demonstrating-through forums, exhibitions, and related seminars-the process by which records are researched and interpreted to create new meanings.

Lee Guyeol has consistently documented the developments of modern and contemporary Korean art. His archive includes articles, manuscripts, scrapbooks, photographs, letters, and exhibition catalogs. Leeum Museum of Art explained that these materials are important historical resources that go beyond personal records to illustrate the networks and currents of the contemporary art world.

In 1999, Samsung Foundation of Culture established the Korean Art Archive based on materials donated by Lee Guyeol and about 160 other modern and contemporary artists. In 2024, this project expanded into the "Leeum Archive," now comprising approximately 85,000 items.

The program's first pillar is the research forum held on April 10 and 11. On the first day, topics such as "Lee Guyeol's Collection and Research on Modern and Contemporary Korean Art" and "From Private Records to Polyphonic Narratives" will address the production and interpretation of records and the potential for expanding archives. Panel discussions will feature researchers and practitioners from leading institutions, including the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul Museum of Art, ARKO Art Archive, and Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art. On the second day, an academic program co-hosted with the Korean Art History Research Association will examine gaps and methods of narration in art history using Lee Guyeol's records as a medium.

Gil Jinseop Record Card. Leeum Museum of Art

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The exhibition will run concurrently from April 10 to June 14 at the auditorium lounge of Leeum Museum of Art. It will take the form of a showcase centered on approximately 160 pieces of art-related records. Rather than presenting the entire archive, selected materials will be displayed according to the themes Lee Guyeol has explored over the years and the topics addressed in the forum presentations.

At the center of the exhibition, visitors can learn how materials have been classified and archived since their donation in 1998. There will also be a space to read Lee Guyeol's works and view oral history interview videos.

During the exhibition period, Leeum Museum of Art plans to offer archive tours and related seminars on topics such as "Expanding from Research to Exhibition."

Ku Jungyeon, Head of Education and Research at Leeum Museum of Art, stated, "This program is the first attempt to provide a multidimensional perspective on key moments in modern and contemporary Korean art, based on Lee Guyeol's donated materials, and to show how records expand through research and interpretation."

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