Gallery Hyundai is very pleased to announce the 45th Anniversary of Gallery Hyundai- Korean Abstract Painting. We will present myriad works by 18 Korean abstract painters since 1960s-1970s and reflect the historical flow and evolution of abstract painting in Korea. Gallery Hyundai first opened in Insadong on April 4th, 1970, determined to expose and commercialize Korean modern art. Starting from Nam Kwan’s solo exhibition in 1972, Gallery Hyundai consistently facilitated and advocated exhibitions for abstract artists. From then on forth, there were countless solo exhibitions, including the ones of these 18 artists: RHEE Seundja (1974), SUH Seok (1974), YOO Youngkuk (1975), LEE Ungno (1975), KIM Tschangyeul (1976), HAN Mook (1976), KIM Whanki (1977), LEE Ufan (1978), PARK Seobo (1981), KWON Youngwoo (1982), Quac Insik (1982), CHUNG Sanghwa (1983), HA Chonghyun (1984), KIM Guiline (1989), RYU Kyungchai (1990), Yun Hyongkeun (1996), CHUNG Changsup (1996).

Holding significant exhibitions as listed below, Gallery Hyundai drew international spotlight on Korean abstract art: Korean Contemporary Arts: Unique Methods of Exhibit by Four Artists (LEE Ufan, YUN Hyongkeun, KIM Tschangyeul, PARK Seobo) in 1979, Korean Monochrome Painting in the 1970s (CHUNG Changsup, CHUNG Sanghwa, HA Chonghyun, KIM Guiline) in 1996, Korean Contemporary Art 1970-90 (KIM Whanki, KIM Chongyoung, YOO Youngkuk, YUN Hyongkeun, SUH Seok, KIM Tschangyeul, PARK Seobo, LEE Ufan) in 2001, Poetry in Motion (CHUNG Sanghwa, KIM Tschangyeul, KIM Whanki, LEE Ufan, John Bae, PAIK Nam June, PARK Seobo, SHIN Sunghee, SUH Seok), co-produced and curated by Gallery Beyeler for Swiss Basel in 2007.

Classified by different aesthetic expressions and artists’ age, this exhibition presents four different contemporary art veins. The first group is comprised of first generation modernists (KIM Whanki, YOO Youngkuk and RYU Kyungchai) who transformed and modernized traditional Korean aesthetics into pure flat colors and forms. During prolific times of Korean Modernism in 18th and 19th century, masters of calligraphy abstraction (NAM Kwan and LEE Ungno) reinterpreted and re-appropriated prevalent images from Korean traditional painting and calligraphy painting by employing vernacular expressions. The third group (HAN Mook, RHEE Seundja, SUH Seok and KWON Youngwoo) is considerably influenced by abstract expressionism but infuses distinctive Korean geometric lines and shapes to poetically express and examine nostalgic ambience and cosmic harmony and genesis. Derivative of Korean monochrome paintings, the last group includes KIM Tschangyeul, LEE Ufan, PARK Seobo, CHUNG Sanghwa, CHUNG Changsup, YUN Hyongkeun, KIM Guiline and HA Chonghyun. Also QUAC Insik is included as the pioneer of Korean monochrome art movement.

This exhibition marks and celebrates Gallery Hyundai’s 45th anniversary along with 18 artists who led Korean abstract art from 1960s to 1970s. Korean Abstract Painting will highlight the historical evolution in development of abstract painting in Korea.