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| Ven. Seongpa's "Fierce Tiger Woke Up" (2021), above, and Lee Jong-sang's "Original Form 89117 ― On the Earth" (1989) are on view at "Prayer for Life: Special Exhibition of Korean Polychrome Painting" at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. Courtesy of the artist, MMCA |
By Park Han-sol
The history of Korea's traditional polychrome paintings, or "chaesaekhwa," stretches back as far as the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D. 668), when murals adorned the walls of ancient royal tombs, and it continued throughout the 918-1392 Goryeo Kingdom, as witnessed in Buddhist paintings patterned with brilliant primary colors.
As court, folk and religious paintings, chaesaekhwa came to play centuries-old roles in the lives of the Korean people ― warding off evil spirits, wishing good fortune and delivering moral lessons.
However, despite their predominance, traditional color paintings still remain largely underrepresented in the overall art history of the peninsula. This is partially due to the fact that the black-and-white ink-and-wash paintings by Confucian literati rose to be the central focus of mainstream discourse following the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty.
The employment of primary colors in traditional paintings was further relegated to secondary importance in terms of critical and scholarly analysis, as the pieces were treated merely as interior decorations or talismans.
The ongoing exhibition, "Prayer for Life," at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, revisits the underrated roles of polychrome art and its status in the Korean contemporary art circle.
Some 80 pieces produced between the 19th and late 20th century are on display, all pointing to one of the four main functions of color paintings: "byeoksa" (chasing off evil spirits), "gilsang" (featuring auspicious symbols), "gyohun" (teaching moral lessons) and "gamsang" (appreciation).
Showcasing everything from 19th-century folding screens and Buddhist paintings to works of art that document periods of upheaval in Korea's modern history, this exhibition is the first show curated by the national museum to explore critically how chaesaekhwa's styles are upheld and even reinterpreted to this day.
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| "Chaekgeorido with Plum Blossoms," a 19th-century eight-panel folding screen / Courtesy of the MMCA |
"Chaekgeorido with Plum Blossoms," a 19th-century eight-panel folding screen that has been unveiled to the public for the first time, forms the distinct genre of "chaekgeori," or still-life paintings of books and stationery that were popular among the upper class during the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty.
A 3-meter-long screen features navy drapes rolled up to reveal detailed patterns of books, documents, fruits, flowers and religious implements placed on the wooden floor ― all infused with varied auspicious meanings of prosperity, fortune and harmony.
A branch of an ancient plum tree, which symbolizes high moral principles and integrity of scholars, extends across the panels, adding "a refreshing element of beauty," according to the museum.
Another notable piece is the lacquered painting, "Fierce Tiger Woke Up," by Ven. Seongpa, who has been named the 15th Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism this year.
The piece is inspired by traditional folk paintings with motifs to ward off evil spirits: tigers, dragons and guardian deities. The Buddhist monk is also known for having created the ceramic version of the Goryeo-era Tripitaka Koreana, known as the world's most comprehensive and oldest surviving version of the Korean Buddhist canon, for over two decades at Tongdo Temple in South Gyeongsang Province.
"Prayer for Life" runs through Sept. 25 at the MMCA Gwacheon.
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| Installation view of "Prayer for Life" at the MMCA Gwacheon / Courtesy of the MMCA |
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