Park Soo-keun retrospective at Gallery Hyundai

By Ines Min

Staff Reporter

In terms of modern art, every country has had their 15 minutes in spotlight, granted by the skills of an internationally-known name: Spain's Pablo Picasso, France's Henri Matisse, the United States' Norman Rockwell.

And, though you may or may not have heard of him yet, Korea had Park Soo-keun.

In honor of Korea's quintessential modern painter's death 45 years ago, Gallery Hyundai in Sagan-dong, Seoul, is opening a commemorative exhibition of 40 works that date to the 1950s, from Friday through May 30. In conjunction with the exhibition, the gallery is publishing translated essays by a range of art critics, in order to help broaden the English materials available on Park.

Park Soo-keun lived a life of perseverance and hardship, struggling to stay true to his passion while finding the means to even create his work. Though he is one of the most well-known artists within the peninsula, his pieces have received little recognition overseas in comparison to those of Nam June Paik and more contemporary artists.

Yet Park's genre-defying style ― more notable due to his lack of any formal art education ― avoid all previous, strict confines of the movements, standing as a true representation of Korean art. Though impacts of the outside art culture can still be seen (Western styles had begun to permeate the Korean culture only a few decades before), Park's maturation as an artist is largely his own reactions to what he saw, as opposed to emulations.

"The figures are reduced to simple shapes like triangle or square, which may be his response to the influences of cubism and other forms of abstract art that had begun to affect the Korean art scene," said Kim Young-na, a professor of art history at Seoul National University.

Stacking thick coats of oil paints on top of one another, Park would allow each layer to dry before adding the next. After completing a heavily textured background, the artist would then draw bold lines on top for the images, creating a monochromatic effect almost archaic in its simplicity.

"Park refused to have his subjects changed in any way from their natural state," said You Hong-june, an art professor and critic at Myongji University. "Park had a unique way of portraying the everyday life of common people, transcending the categorization of realism, romanticism, impressionism or expressionism."

"This was his way of acknowledging their existence, and it symbolized the affection he felt for the common people," You said.

Part of the painter's preference and empathy for his subject matter ― which often focused on women at work and girls playing leisurely ― may have its roots in his own impoverished life and hopes for his own sons. Though Park's works are now Korea's most expensive pieces ever sold, in the $500,000 range, the greater part of his life was spent in poverty.

Park Sung-nam, the artist's eldest son, told reporters at a meeting ahead of the exhibition some of the hardships the family once endured, as well as his hopes for the future of his father's life work.

"My little brother once came home after his teacher asked him where our family got food to live off of," the son said. At the time, his mother would go to neighbors to borrow a bowl of rice grain, with the promise of repaying them. "When the day came to repay them, and she couldn't, she would go to another house and ask to borrow two bowls of rice, one to eat and the other to repay the first house."

"My brother thought that was how we lived, so when his teacher asked, 'What does your family live off of?' he said, 'We beg to live.'"

What Park Sung-nam hopes the exhibition will create an "intimacy" that will help show a new side of the country and its art. Through trials and tribulations, it is a true testament that his father's work has survived the decades, having come to such heights after the throes of such humble beginnings.

Park Soo-keuns 45th Commemoration exhibition will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, closed Mondays. General admission is 5,000 won, and a brochure and artwork captions will be available in English. The English-language art book covering the painter's works and critics will be available for sale at Gallery Hyundai. For more information visit www.galleryhyundai.com.