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Rhythm In Monochrome

The Pivotal Korean Abstract Painting Movement On View at The Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery

October, 2017
LEE U-Fan, From Line (1976) Mineral pigment, oil on canvas. Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery (Photo: HYAKAWA Koichi)

The Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery presentsRhythm in Monochrome – Korean Abstract Painting’, a key and concise reflection of Korea’s unique abstract painting movement. Presenting artworks characterised by minimalism and repetition, from “the serene, refined air acquired by these artists as they overcame difficulties and struggles.”

The exhibition presents the development of Korean abstract painting (also known as the Dansaekhwa movement (Korean monochrome painting)) through the works of 19 artists, particularly those who were integral in it’s founding, such as Lee Ufan, Park Seo-Bo, Kwon Kim Whanki, Quac In-Sik, Lee Se-Duk, Young-Woo, Chung Chang-Sup, Yun Hyong-Keun, Chung Sang-Hwa and Ha Chong-Hyun.

The works hold a common thread of repetition and restricted beauty, all refined in their own individual way, through each artist overcoming their own difficulties and struggles post-war. During this influential post-World War II era, it was also a time that these artists fought against adversity to develop and shape Korean art as a form of national identity.

SUH Seung-Won, Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery (Photo: HYAKAWA Koichi)

Rhythm in Monochrome | Korean Abstract Painting

Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo
Saturday, 14 October – Sunday, 24 December, 2017

LEE U-Fan, With Winds (1989) Mineral pigment, oil on canvas. Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery (Photo: SAITO Arata)
PARK Seo-Bo, Ecriture No.000508 (2000) Mixed media with Korean paper on canvas. Mie Prefectural Art Museum
PARK Seo-Bo, Ecriture No.27-77 (1977) Oil and pencil on canvas, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum
CHUNG Sang-Hwa, Untitled 91-3-9 (1991) Acrylic on canvas. Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery (Photo: HAYAKAWA Koichi)
KWON Young-Woo, Untitled (1982) Korean paper, Private collection, Seattle Courtesy of the artist and Blum & Poe, Los Angeles/New York/Tokyo
October, 2017