To many, the Korean war seems like a distant snippet from a forgotten past on the other side of the world. For me, it was not until I visited South Korea that I really got a feel for it. I find the idea of a country broken in two by politics mind boggling, and the story of this division equally shocking. This story was revealed by many artists during the war, but not as obviously as you would think. Artists rarely depicted battle scenes, instead opting for more underlying themes in their artwork as to not risk persecution for their political views. These works are probably more revealing than battle scenes could ever be, showing us a world beyond direct conflict, through the views and lives of individuals that experienced it first-hand.
Lee Jung Seob is a fine example of this. Displaced during the war, his artworks reveal the role of refugees as well as the division of a country unified for thousands of years. I was lucky enough to see an exhibition based on his life work in Seoul at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and found it very moving. The exhibition explores his life story through his works. During the Korean War, his family based in the North fled to Busan, and later Jeju, where they settled, living a life of poverty. Following the war, he became displaced from his family and his artworks met with little success. His detachment from them affected him for the rest of his life and contributed heavily to his mental turmoil. He suffered the end of his life with anorexia and depression, which can be seen in his artworks.
Bull (1953) represents the divisions and aggression of the Korean War
The highlight of the exhibition was definitely his foil engravings. As you enter the second exhibition space, the room is filled with these cases containing tiny pieces of foil no bigger than an iPhone, each illuminated as a masterpiece in their own right. Upon closer inspection you can see miniature engravings of figures and animals in distorted shapes and positions. The Korean War brought poverty, and artists were forced to search for alternative materials in order to continue producing art. Lee found his niche in the foil of cigarette packets, where he would continue his artistic practice.
The exhibition gave me similar feels to those which I experienced at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Both take you on a journey through the artist’s life and how their mental health is reflected in their artwork. I left both exhibitions touched by the beautiful works both artists were able to create under such hardships. For me the most saddening thing was the little recognition both artists gained in their lifetimes, which in turn contributed to their personal struggles. At the end of both, I definitely took some comfort in their modern day success; the popularity of the exhibitions when I visited was huge and they were depicted as vital to our artistic heritage. However, it makes me sad that Lee Joong Seoup is mostly unknown to the western world, despite the skill and importance of his artworks. Hopefully, as South Korea’s global reputation increases as it settles into modernity, its culture will become more well-known. It’s more recent artistic players have already grown in popularity, with the likes of Park Seo-Bo and Lee Ufan on display globally. Maybe some of the original founders of South Korea’s modern art scene will become more well-known too. I really hope so. This alternative story of art is more than worthy.
Click here for more info on the exhibition
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