Artist Chun Kyung-ja passes away
Renowned painter Chun Kyung-ja died of a chronic illness in August at the age of 91. / Yonhap
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Renowned painter Chun Kyung-ja died of a chronic illness in August at the age of 91.
Her death was belatedly revealed by the artist’s eldest daughter, Lee Hye-seon, 70, who told The Chosun Ilbo that Chun died in New York on Aug. 6.
Lee said her mother suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in July 2003 and has been confined to bed since then. Chun’s health deteriorated seriously since Thanksgiving Day of last year and she died peacefully this August, the daughter said.
Lee said she cremated her mother’s remains after a quiet funeral at a church in New York and her death was reported to Korea and the United States.
According to the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), which has a permanent collection of Chun on display, the artist’s daughter visited the museum and its storage facility with Chun’s remains.
SeMA director Kim Hong-hee said it was reported that Lee visited the museum carrying the urn of her mother’s ashes in late August, but she could not meet Kim in person. “Lee asked us not to publicize her visit,” Kim said.
“Beautiful Woman” by Chun Kyung-ja / Yonhap
Born in 1924, Chun is one of the most prominent female painters in Korean modern art history. She is known for her bold portrayal and use of vivid colors, mainly depicting female figures and flowers.
Chun retired from painting in 1991, when one of her works faced a forgery scandal. She claimed that the painting, “Beautiful Woman,” on display at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, is a fake, but the museum and experts assessed the piece as genuine. “Parents can recognize one’s child. That is not my painting,” Chun protested regarding the forgery.
The artist donated 93 of her works to SeMA in 1998 and left for New York to live with her daughter. Chun was out of touch for more than a decade and she had been rumored to be dead since last year.
The National Academy of Arts suspended paying Chun’s membership benefits last year as it could not determine whether she was alive, and asked Lee to provide medical records for Chun. However, Lee declined the request, pointing to the patient’s privacy, and instead demanded withdrawal of Chun’s membership on behalf of her mother. Chun still remains listed as a member of the academy on its website.