| Title | Transformation of Korean Painting - Seon Seung-hye Chief research cu… | |
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Transformation of Korean Painting: Self-cultivation, governance of home, governance of state, peaceful world Seon Seung-hye Chief research curator at Seoul Museum of Art, adjunct professor of College of Art & Design at Ewha Womans University)
● Critical awareness: Our values we neglected for ourselves It is urgent to bring changes to Korean painting. The power of lost tradition calls for its revival. In the current situation of Korean contemporary arts in which photography and lens-based media swiftly come to the fore, it is necessary to bring changes in the contemporary art world where traditional materials are considered mere decorative items.
Let’s compare status of Sumukhwa (Ink-and-wash painting) of East Asia. Contemporary art of China installs tradition of Sumukhwa in the core position, while decorative aesthetic Japanese painting is still leading in the center of contemporary art. On the contrary, the position of Korean painting is ambiguous. In the transition period of modernity of the beginning of the 20th century, Korean painting had to be in the same destiny as that of Joseon of which the authority was lost, when European culture was transplanted in our country as a new international culture and culture of Joseon was regarded as a sort of hackneyed past. However, this rupture from tradition was not forced by anyone else but was the cultural value we chose for ourselves.
Rapid economic growth and political maturity of the 20th century lead to reevaluation of values of Korean culture. As globalization carries on, one’s cultural identity becomes the strongest weapon on the international stage. How are artists of Korean painting responding to this stream? Korean contemporary art world is watching its process of reorganization in line with the agenda focused on Biennale of European contemporary arts.
How does the international society like Europe and America show the understanding of Korea? Their understanding of Korea can be summarized in the following three ideas. Firstly, Korea is a country, which continuously maintained history by overcoming China-centered history in East Asia and modern imperialism of Japan. Secondly, it is a country of which ideology is divided into two, as the unique one in the world. Thirdly, Korea is known for its rapid rise of Korean culture by popularity of K-Pop and dramas. In the middle of international cultural order, how can Korean painting make a self-transformation then? The assignment given to us is strict and serious. In particular, at the moment of which women stand out with their important penetration into many different areas, what kind of transformation do female artists leading Korean painting pursue? As a commercial slogan, “Change of women is simply innocent,” this cheerful transformation of Korean painting is an exciting assignment given to us.
● AGENDA 1: Three key points to recovery of values of Korean painting
Directing point: “The Great Learning
Life is a continuous process of learning. Korean painting is set as continuity of learning. We will look for the values of Korean painting from “The Great Learning,” which has been broadly read regarding objectives of learning throughout 500 years of Joseon.
Firstly, Korean painting consists in “Lighting up our bright mind.” Korean painting exists to share “brightness” with the world. Korean painting is art drawn with a born bright mind, so its value lies in lighting up minds of others as well. This brightness coincides with the vision of brightness of the long-lasting ancient culture of Korea even before the Chinese Classics “The Great Learning.” This is the cultural DNA of Koreans. This bright emotion is the fundamental thought of Korean painting.
Secondly, Korean painting exists “to newly approach people.”
“Brightness” does not stay in the individual level. Its value is based on the idea of sharing this “brightness” with the world. In the 21st century of the public, Korean painting helps people tired of the harsh life to brighten their minds and renew every day by approaching their minds and mine with brightness. This bright mind is the emotion itself we must keep.
Thirdly, it is to “do our best until reaching our ultimate value.”
Sharing bright mind with Korean painting can never end at once. It is the ultimate value we must make an effort and pursue throughout our lifetime. The ultimate value requires the process of effort-making doing our best. How can this effort be made? It requires he following four preparation processes.
● AGENDA 2: Four preparation processes as artists of Korean painting Artists of Korean painting are required to have the following four preparation processes as basic spontaneous requisites.
Firstly, they need to learn how to investigate things. They are to seriously study the issues of the society. The value of Korean painting in the world is to inquire into problematic issues that everything in the world must solve.
Secondly, they are required to attain wisdom. It is reaching wisdom beyond knowledge.
After inquiring into everything in the world, they must pursue wisdom beyond knowledge. Wisdom has no correct answer. Through Korean painting, they are to deliver wisdom of life lighting up bright mind of people with flexibility.
Thirdly, they need to practice “devotion of will.” It is to build will with a hardworking attitude.
It is important that artists of Korean painting should have enthusiastic will. Beyond small solo exhibitions or group exhibitions, they are to make an utmost effort to recover the function of art to spread the message enough to change the world with wisdom through exhibitions of Korean painting.
Fourthly, they must keep brightness in mind.
Inquiry into everything in the world, discovery of wisdom, devoted enthusiasm of artists of Korean painting lead them to keep brightness in mind and the essence lighting up minds of others.
● AGENDA 3: Four domains to recover values of Korean painting Recovery of values of Korean painting are divided into four domains as follows:
Firstly, it is about “body cultivation.” It is to keep a bright mind and a healthy body.
This refers to works based on “individuals” among Korean painting. These works aim at “mind transcription” by visually expressing bright psychology and healthy body of individuals.
Secondly, it is about “governance of family.” It refers to a cherished family.
This refers to works of Korean painting based on the subject of “people” including families, basically, the crowd. By cherishing people as if they belonged to their family, these works visually express a variety of people.
Thirdly, it is about “governance of a state,” meaning a happy society.
This refers to works of Korean painting based on the subject of “social” issues. By visualizing social issues, these works cast a serious message to the world through art in that they aim at a happy society regardless of a critical or positive viewpoint.
Fourthly, it is about “peaceful world,” meaning nature in harmony.
This refers to works of Korean painting based on the subject of “nature” like families. In the sense that the aspects of individuals, families and society are part of the natural ecosystem living in harmony with nature, these works visualize harmony between human beings and nature.
● AGENDA 4: Diversification of forms of Korean painting
After reconsidering values of Korean painting, they seek innovation in terms of the form. The value as a visual expression aims to reach vitality of energy. The value that fails to be visualized remain nothing but an empty slogan. Now, it is crucial to bring changes in the form of Korean painting matching the 21st century.
Firstly. “Method of brush by drawing the clear contour”: it is to maximize force of lines.
Secondly, “Highlighting the key features of the object”: It is to pursue sophisticated aspect in describing the form.
Thirdly, “Diversity of coloring”: It is to diversify coloring. Every color is a symbol.
Fourthly, “Good arrangement of composition”: It is about newly giving the concept of marketing (management.)
Fifthly, “Technique of imitation”: New trends of Korean painting can create a new fashion.
● AGENDA 5: Exhibition organization of contemporary Korean painting
Part 1 In “Self-cultivation: Pure mind and body,” it focuses on works looking at myself. In that the artist seeks self-cultivation through the beauty of small life of flowers and birds, the main motif of Korean painting, this viewpoint can actively interpreted. Thus, in the domain of self-cultivation, flowers and birds are included for exhibition.
Part 2 “Governance of family: A cherished family” presents works asking the meaning of families and embracing isolated souls. By including painting of articles, which women discovered through delicate efforts for their homes, in the category of “governance of family,” the value of painting of articles in the form of Korean painting can increase.
Part 3 “Governance of a state: Peaceful society” asks a question about how artists of Korean painting express this subject of solution to social problems and development possibility of future. It is still a bit to be desired that female artists of Korean painting do not set this subject of “governance of a state” as the main approach, but we can interpret that they are more interested in harmonious nature beyond governance of a state.
Part 4 “Peaceful world: Nature in harmony”
The aspect of which the world is governed is expressed through nature, namely, Sansuhwa. This aesthetic attitude is valid until now. This is the principle-based yet the most important conclusion of which human beings can govern the world and give peace in harmony with nature.
● Last part “Lighting up the bright mind: Light up new values and start a new trend of Korean painting” By bringing new trends in Korean painting armed with new bright values to light up the world, female artists of Korean painting play a key role in creating a new style of Korean painting of the 21st century. New attitudes of Korean painting can become a form and the trend can become a style. Female artists of Korean painting are those who have expressive power of insight to create new trends and distribute them as artists of the time, and they open a new chapter of innovative trends through this exhibition.
* Reference text “The Great Learning”
This text follows three Codes of “The Great Learning” such as
“Brightening virtue,” “Approaching people,” and “Culmination of goodness” and
eight practical Points of these three Codes composed of “investigation of
things, obtainment of wisdom, enthusiasm, bright mind, self-cultivation,
governance of family, governance of a state and peaceful world.” Chapter 10
explains these three Codes and eight Points
In all creatures, there is beginning and end. All works have beginning and end. Knowledge of order leads you to Tao (enlightenment). If you want to shine bright virtue to the world, govern your country well first. If you want to govern your country well, govern your home well first. If you want to govern your home well, cultivate your inner side first. If you want to cultivate your inner side, keep your mind correct first. If you want to keep your mind correct, be faithful to your will first. If you want to be faithful to your will, concentrate on knowledge first. The effort of concentrating on knowledge lies in thorough inquiry into the logics of all creatures. After thorough inquiry into logics of all creatures, your knowledge reaches culmination. After culmination of knowledge, your will becomes faithful. After completing faithful will, your mind becomes correct. When your mind becomes correct, your body can be cultivated. After self-cultivation, your home can be governed well. After governing your home well, your country can be governed well. After governing your country well, the whole world becomes peaceful.
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