Hoon KWAK (b.1941), as one of the pivotal figures in Korean abstract painting, constitutes

unparalleled aesthetic mainstay of contemporary Korean art along with Nam June Paik, Lee Ufan. In 1969, Kwak cofounded a group called ‘A.G. (Avant-garde) with Kim Ku Lim and Kim Tchah Sup, and spearheaded Korea’s avant-garde movement. His relocation to the U.S. in 1975 however, served as an opportunity to reflect on his cultural genesis. This is the period when he began working on abstract and primal paintings on subject matters such as Korean temples, ancient tombs, earthenware, and shamans.

Reaching beyond his personal identity and extending out toward the origin of humanity, Kwak’s artworks established him as a unique presence in the American art scene, landing him exclusive contracts with Charles Cowles Gallery in New York. In 1995, as a member of the Korean delegation for the Venice Biennale, Kwak presented his work at the Korean pavilion’s inaugural exhibition. In 2000, Kwak became the first Korean artist to hold a solo exhibition at the National Museum of Art in Beijing.

The world Kwak sees, with an inspired poet’s sensibility, is one that arrives anew by returning to the primal source. The enduring subjects of his artistic oeuvre, such as Kalpa(eternity in Sanskrit), Chi(force), Incantations, and Halaayt(Ultimate spirit), urge humanity to liberate itself

from the fatigues of humanocentrism and return to its roots, resonating with Gaston

Bachelard’s notion of the essential material imagination. His persistent interest in reviving mythologies, shamanism, and folklores that have been long-suppressed by modernity finds embodiment in his artistic perseverance. It is the viewers’ role to identify and bestow meaning to these imageries.

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JI SU JANG

KIM YONG SOO

HOON KWAK

KWON O-BONG

LEE MYUNGMI

HYUNG-GEUN PARK

JISUN SHIN

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JI SU JANG

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KIM YONG SOO

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HOON KWAK

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KWON O-BONG

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LEE MYUNGMI

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HYUNG-GEUN PARK

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JISUN SHIN

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