[Episode 1 of 8]
The Square: Art and Society in Korea, Part 1
Live Gallery Tour with Curator Inhye Kim
Joint exhibition by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA)
in Gwacheon, Seoul, and Deoksugung
Korean Cultural Center New York (KCCNY) launches a series of <Special Online Exhibition: Live Gallery Tour With The Curator> from the National Museum of Modern Art (MMCA).
Since opening its doors on October 20, 1969, the MMCA has led the way in research, collection, exhibition, and international promotion of Korean art as one of Korea’s leading national art museums. To mark its 50th anniversary, the MMCA presents a range of artistic and public programs under the theme “Public Square” (or “gwangjang”), retracing its cultural endeavors of the past five decades while also envisioning the future of Korean art and the MMCA with the public. The museum presents a special exhibition: The Square: Art and Society in Korea 1900–2019 that sweepingly surveys the tumultuous flow of Korean history and art from the dawning years of the 20th century up to the present time. The exhibition comprises a chronologically ordered three-part structure presenting nearly 450 paintings, sculptures, and installation works representative of the past 100 years in Korean art. Part 1, held at MMCA Deoksugung, surveys the years 1900 to the 1950s; Part 2, held at MMCA Gwacheon, offers a synchronic view of the 1950s to the present; and Part 3, held at MMCA Seoul, explores Korea’s contemporary societal issues.
Featured Artists
Approx. 100 artists including Oh Sechang, Chae Yongshin, Lee Sang, Kim Yongjun, Kim Whanki, Lee Quoede / 150 works and archives
Exhibition Overview
The Square, Liberation explores the legacies of the historical figures who fought for justice during the turbulent periods of enlightenment, Korean Empire, Japanese occupation, the Pacific War, and national liberation in the late 19th century. From the rise of the civilian army to the independence movement and liberation, the exhibition narrates the dynamic social changes and coinciding art movements of the time. Including autographs of distinguished historical figures to evidences of artistic contemplation on the identity of Korea under Japanese rule, the exhibition delineates the philosophical genealogy shown in the works of Kim Whanki, Lee Quoede, Lee Jungseob, and other modern artists, reflecting the keywords “enlightenment,” “independence,” “grassroots,” and “identity.”
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