Female abstract painter rediscovered

"A Night of Tourrettes, August No. 2, 79" (1979) by Rhee Seund-ja / Courtesy of MMCA

Rhee Seund-ja explores cosmos in France, Korea

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The late artist Rhee Seund-ja in 2000s / Courtesy of MMCA

"Occidental art lacks a philosophical base. Therefore, in order to grasp my subjects, woman and the Earth which gives life to it, I take geometric symbols ― straight lines, triangles, squares and circles ― universal signs that transcend frontiers and time," artist Rhee Seund-ja (1918-2009) said. Having studied in France, Rhee bridged the chasm of art between East and West, balancing material and spiritual elements.

"Rhee Seundja: Road to the Antipode," an exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, rediscovers the pioneer of Korean abstract art.

"This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Rhee. It is part of a series of exhibitions shedding light on Korean female artists and I believe Korean women artists deserve special attention," MMCA director Bartomeu Mari said. "Rhee is one of the artists who enriched the history of Korean art with unique visual quality.

After she moved to Paris, she developed her passion for art for over 60 years, out of dominant trends throughout her life. This exhibition allows viewers to discover her nostalgia for her homeland."

The exhibition features a wide range from Rhee's oeuvre, starting from her early figurative paintings to her later abstract works inspired by the cosmos.

Rhee headed to Paris in 1951, when she was 33. A year before, she was forced to divorce due to her husband's affair and had to part with her three sons ― nine, seven and five. Rhee chose to leave for a distant place to deal with her grief.

She went to Paris to study fashion initially, but artist Henri Goetz discovered her talent and suggested she study fine art at the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere.

Rhee was lucky to be at the heart of international art at that time and developed her own style by being exposed to diverse styles and travelling around the world. She began with figurative style, but explored various methods such as oil painting, print, mosaic and ceramics and made her way to abstract style.

Her 1956 painting "The Snow from Vaugirard Street" is one of the works that made her famous in Paris. French critic Georges Boudaille praised her work for combining an Oriental atmosphere with a Western style.

"Rhee already had two solo exhibitions at the MMCA in 1978 and 1988. Over 480 works were showcased in the 1988 exhibit, so it was difficult to unearth new works of Rhee. So we aimed to present how Rhee settled in the French art scene and exchanged influence with artists there," the curator said.

In the 1960s, one of Rhee's most famous series "Woman and Earth" was started. "I am a woman, a woman is a mother and a mother is earth," Rhee once said, reflecting her pride as a mother and yearning for her family in Korea.

"A Mother I Remember" shows how Rhee infused her memories of her family in Korea with modern French style. "I Am" is the only self-portrait of Rhee, but it is in abstract style, which is not common.

Her dotted paintings can be compared to those of Korea's most famous modern artist Kim Whan-ki, but Rhee pursued a rather unique style.

"Yin and Yang, July, 75" (1975) by Rhee Seund-ja / Courtesy of MMCA

A catalyst for change for Rhee came in the mid-'60s when she visited Korea and held a solo exhibition in her home country. She took the load of family and earth off from her mind and moved in a new direction. A trip to the United States also influenced her style.

She began the "Yin and Yang" and "City" series, mainly using circles and lines to depict possibilities of unity.

She divided her time in Paris and Tourrettes in France and Korea for six decades, making oil paintings in Paris, prints in Tourrettes and ceramics in Korea. Rhee had a prolific career, creating more than 1,300 paintings, 12,000 prints and 500 ceramic works.

Her interest shifted toward the sky and cosmos in the 1980s. "The Road to the Antipodes" series is inspired by the landscape of antipodes she saw during air travel between France and Korea. Back then the France-Korea route took the polar navigation and she illustrated her trip between the end of the East and the West until 1994, when the air route changed.

She continued on the abstract series inspired by the cosmos until her death.

'Titles of her works such as 'My Palace of Galaxies' and 'My Hostels of Vega' represent co-existence of Eastern philosophy and Western scientific thinking," curator Park said.

The exhibit is on view through July 29. For more information, visit www.mmca.go.kr or call 02-2188-6000.