Dansaekhwa II: The Traces of Four Artists Exhibition
Curated by Yoon Jin Sup
Curated by Yoon Jin Sup
Korean Monochrome Painting Puts Eastern Spin on Contemporary Minimalism
(December 8, 2015-Los Angeles, CA) Korean Monochrome painting, known as Dansaekhwa has been growing an international following since it first made a resurgence at the Gwangju Biennale in 2000. This style of painting developed simultaneously in Korea and Japan in the late 1960s / early 1970s. Dansaekhwa: The Traces of Four Artists is puts an Eastern spin on Contemporary Minimalism, as seen through the works of Young-il Ahn, Kim Hyung Dae, Lee Seung Jio and Yoo Byeong Hoon.
Easily one of the most famous and globally influential Korean art movements of the twentieth century, Dansaekhwa features pushed paint, soaked canvas, dragged pencils, ripped paper and otherwise manipulated material in ways that productively troubled the distinctions of separating ink painting from oil, painting from sculpture, and object from viewer. As a category, Dansaekhwa works vary greatly in technique and form as well as color palettes and patterns. It is this very diversity that keeps Dansaekhwa fresh.
The LA Art Show is the first major art fair to exhibit Dansaekhwa, debuting this unique style at the 20th anniversary show in 2015. Since then Dansaekhwa has continued to grow momentum, scoring several high profile gallery shows in Europe and the United States. Dansaekhwa II represents the LA Art Show’s continued commitment to showcasing the international trends in art at their cusp.
“Characterized by a collective conscious, tactility and performativity, Dansaekhwa presents an abiding spirit of Korea as the “Land of the Morning Calm” in abstract fashion where tradition, history, and culture are disintegrated on a flat surface, ” States Yoon Jin Sup, curator of Dansaekhwa: The Traces of Four Artists. “Because of such distinct foundation from which Korean monochrome painting rises, it lies outside the artistic orbit of Western minimalism. Through repetitive movements the first-generation Dansaekhwa painters presented on canvas the material properties of oil paint or hanji (traditional Korean paper). They envisioned imbuing the painted surfaces with a spiritual value through a repetitive performance of dabbing, painting lines, or removing paint from a canvas and then refilling it. Such creative practices that lie at the core of Dansaekhwa since the early 1970s has culminated to a global recognition for distinguished aestheticism of Korean mono- chrome painting.”
(December 8, 2015-Los Angeles, CA) Korean Monochrome painting, known as Dansaekhwa has been growing an international following since it first made a resurgence at the Gwangju Biennale in 2000. This style of painting developed simultaneously in Korea and Japan in the late 1960s / early 1970s. Dansaekhwa: The Traces of Four Artists is puts an Eastern spin on Contemporary Minimalism, as seen through the works of Young-il Ahn, Kim Hyung Dae, Lee Seung Jio and Yoo Byeong Hoon.
Easily one of the most famous and globally influential Korean art movements of the twentieth century, Dansaekhwa features pushed paint, soaked canvas, dragged pencils, ripped paper and otherwise manipulated material in ways that productively troubled the distinctions of separating ink painting from oil, painting from sculpture, and object from viewer. As a category, Dansaekhwa works vary greatly in technique and form as well as color palettes and patterns. It is this very diversity that keeps Dansaekhwa fresh.
The LA Art Show is the first major art fair to exhibit Dansaekhwa, debuting this unique style at the 20th anniversary show in 2015. Since then Dansaekhwa has continued to grow momentum, scoring several high profile gallery shows in Europe and the United States. Dansaekhwa II represents the LA Art Show’s continued commitment to showcasing the international trends in art at their cusp.
“Characterized by a collective conscious, tactility and performativity, Dansaekhwa presents an abiding spirit of Korea as the “Land of the Morning Calm” in abstract fashion where tradition, history, and culture are disintegrated on a flat surface, ” States Yoon Jin Sup, curator of Dansaekhwa: The Traces of Four Artists. “Because of such distinct foundation from which Korean monochrome painting rises, it lies outside the artistic orbit of Western minimalism. Through repetitive movements the first-generation Dansaekhwa painters presented on canvas the material properties of oil paint or hanji (traditional Korean paper). They envisioned imbuing the painted surfaces with a spiritual value through a repetitive performance of dabbing, painting lines, or removing paint from a canvas and then refilling it. Such creative practices that lie at the core of Dansaekhwa since the early 1970s has culminated to a global recognition for distinguished aestheticism of Korean mono- chrome painting.”
Kim Hyung Dae
Kim Hyung Dae embarked on an experimental journey in the early 1960s with the exhibition “Walls.” He has been rigorously pursuing abstract painting using primary colors and remarkable tactility since the 1980s. By applying acrylic paint on a canvas and repeatedly peeling it off with a customized tool, Kim creates distinctive surfaces that are reminiscent of combed patterns.
Kim Hyung Dae
HALO12-0228, 201251.3 x 76.3 in. (detail)
Lee Seung-Jo
The late Lee Seung-Jo, who is also known as “an artist of pipes,” developed an illusionary, geometric style of painting. In his early career, Lee sought after lavishly colorful geometric abstraction. However, he increasingly began limiting his palette to primary colors, eventually steering his practice towards painting surfaces in which various tones of black unite as discernible lines dissolve into monochrome canvases.
Lee Seung-Jo
Nucleus, 1973Oil on canvas
164 x 137cm
Yoo Byeong Hoon
Yoo Byeong Hoon began his artistic pursuit from creating several three-dimensional oval shapes made of black threads repeatedly woven into canvases. However, with the passing of time he switched over to producing colored surfaces, and then to paintings of black and white contrast. Yoo’s paintings continue to evolve into magnificent monochrome surfaces, to which the artist repeatedly applies dabs of paint with the tip of his fingers.
Yoo Byeong Hoon
Forest. Wind-Slient, 2004Acrylic on canvas
57 x 89.3 in. (detail)
Young-il Ahn’s
Young-il Ahn’s canvases are comprised of small, repeating square-shaped dabs of color. This repetitive feature of his work comes from the same artistic tradition of the first-generation Korean Dansaekhwa painters, including Kim Whan-ki (1913-1974), Park Seo-bo (b. 1931), Lee Ufan (b. 1936), Chung Sang-hwa (b. 1932), and Ha Chong-hyun (b. 1935).
Young-il Ahn
WATER S-397, 1997Oil on canvas
44 x 84 in.
Dansaekhwa II will be presented in conjunction with a solo exhibition of Young-il Ahn’s works. Los Angeles-based artist, Young-il Ahn was born in Korea and was highly inspired by the Dansaekhwa movement. At 82, the painter has taken the Dansaekhwa style and expanded upon it. Ahn’s creations fall into a category of Dansaekhwa but imparts an additional element of context, for his art is founded upon relationships between complementary colors. In most cases he paints contrasting colors for a remarkably vivid effect. His works exude elegance through the dynamic relationships between colors, which together appear monochromatic when viewed from a certain distance.
Contact Agnes Gomes-Koizumi at [email protected] or call 323-937-5488.
About Yoon, Jin Sup: Yoon, Jin Sup holds B.A. in the Western painting and has M.A. in Aesthetics at Hongik University. He received a doctorate in Philosophy at University of Western Sydney in Australia. He was appointed as curator of the 1st and 3rdGwangju Biennale Special Exhibition, general artistic director of the 3rd International Media Art Biennale of Seoul, commissioner of Sāo Paulo Biennale, committee head-cum-general artistic director of Pocheon Asian Art Festival, artistic director of K-P.O.P at Taipei MOCA and president of Korean Art Critics Association. He has curated Dansaekhwa : Korean Monochrome Painting at Museum of Contemporary Art in 2012 and the Art of Dansaekhwa at Kukje gallery in 2014. He is former Vice President of International Association of Art Critics(AICA) and President of AICA KOREA 2014 and honorary professor of Sydney College of the Arts. He is also currently the consulting editor on Korea : Contemporary Art Now of art magazine Artlink. He has written numerous books including Body Speaks (2009), A Study of Korean Modernism(1997), and Performance Art: Its Theory and Reality(1995).
About Baik Art: Baik Art is founded by Susan Baik, Co-Director of Andrew Shire Gallery from 2003 -2013.Baik Art is a contemporary art gallery dedicated to growing with its artists. International residencies, traveling exhibits, and pan-pacific collaborations. These are just a few ways in which we support the cross-fertilization of our artists’ cultural values and ideas.Baik Art is located at 2600 S La Cienega Blvd. LA, CA 90034 www.baikart.com.
Contact Agnes Gomes-Koizumi at [email protected] or call 323-937-5488.
About Yoon, Jin Sup: Yoon, Jin Sup holds B.A. in the Western painting and has M.A. in Aesthetics at Hongik University. He received a doctorate in Philosophy at University of Western Sydney in Australia. He was appointed as curator of the 1st and 3rdGwangju Biennale Special Exhibition, general artistic director of the 3rd International Media Art Biennale of Seoul, commissioner of Sāo Paulo Biennale, committee head-cum-general artistic director of Pocheon Asian Art Festival, artistic director of K-P.O.P at Taipei MOCA and president of Korean Art Critics Association. He has curated Dansaekhwa : Korean Monochrome Painting at Museum of Contemporary Art in 2012 and the Art of Dansaekhwa at Kukje gallery in 2014. He is former Vice President of International Association of Art Critics(AICA) and President of AICA KOREA 2014 and honorary professor of Sydney College of the Arts. He is also currently the consulting editor on Korea : Contemporary Art Now of art magazine Artlink. He has written numerous books including Body Speaks (2009), A Study of Korean Modernism(1997), and Performance Art: Its Theory and Reality(1995).
About Baik Art: Baik Art is founded by Susan Baik, Co-Director of Andrew Shire Gallery from 2003 -2013.Baik Art is a contemporary art gallery dedicated to growing with its artists. International residencies, traveling exhibits, and pan-pacific collaborations. These are just a few ways in which we support the cross-fertilization of our artists’ cultural values and ideas.Baik Art is located at 2600 S La Cienega Blvd. LA, CA 90034 www.baikart.com.
