Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
First-generation abstract painter Lee Joon dies at 101
“Yul” (1993) by painter Lee Joon / Courtesy of Lee Joon
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
Painter Lee Joon paints at Aram Art Gallery in 2007. Courtesy of Aram Art Gallery
Korea's first generation of abstract painters, Lee Joon, died of old age at 101 on Friday, according to the National Academy of Arts. Born in Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province in 1919, Lee went to Japan at the end of the 1930s and graduated in 1942 from the Pacific Art School, a private Western painting school attended by many Korean painters, such as Gu Bon-ung, Lee In-seong and Nam Gwan.
After graduating and returning to Korea, he became a professor at Ewha Womans University between 1954 and 1984, teaching Western painting there.
Lee is considered as one of the pioneers of abstract painting in Korea.
In the 1970s, his works started to include characteristics of geometric paintings, such as various colored shapes and lines. His works not only featured abstract patterns, but also made reference to modern historical events that occurred on the Korean Peninsula, such as the Korean War and the partition of Korea.
Even until recently, he held solo exhibitions throughout the country. He received a presidential award at the National Art Exhibition of 1953 and was also given the third-grade Dongbaeg Medal of the Order of Civil Merit in 1977 for his artistic achievements. He was also awarded the Eun-gwan Order of Cultural Merit, or the second-highest category of cultural merit, in 1995.
Those who wish to pay their respects to Lee can visit Seoul National University Hospital. The funeral runs until Monday morning.