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| Kim Whanki's 1971 diptych, "Universe 05-IV-71 #200," was sold for HK$88 million (13.2 billion won) at Christie's Hong Kong in November 2019. Courtesy of the Whanki Foundation, Whanki Museum, Christie's Korea |
By Park Han-sol
Hailed as one of Korea's greatest abstract masters, Kim Whanki (1913-74) and his iconic pointillist painting grabbed headlines in November 2019, when his 1971 diptych, "Universe 5-IV-71 #200," fetched HK$88 million (13.2 billion won) at Christie's Hong Kong ― making history as the most expensive Korean work of art ever auctioned, to this day.
At the time of the auction, speculation mounted in the art world over the highest bidder's identity, with some surmising that the new owner of the stately blue dot painting was a non-Korean entrepreneur.
However, after almost three years of secrecy, the buyer's identity was finally revealed, Tuesday: Chairman Kim Woong-ki of apparel manufacturer and exporter Global Sae-A Group.
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| Chairman Kim Woong-ki of Global Sae-A Group / Courtesy of Global Sae-A Group |
The gallery, located inside the group's headquarters in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, opened its doors on Wednesday with a large-scale exhibition of works of Japanese conceptual master Yayoi Kusama. Some 40 paintings, sculptures and installations ― including the 1981 "Pumpkin" that became her most expensive piece sold at a Korean auction house to date ― will be on view until Sept. 14.
After the Kusama show, S2A has vowed to continue to showcase modern and contemporary masterpieces from both home and abroad, including "Universe" and others from the chairman's private collection.
Kim Whanki's "Universe," created out of yearning for his homeland's sky during his final years spent in New York, is his largest work ever and the only diptych, consisting of two 127-by-254-centimeter canvases.
For more than four decades, the masterpiece had been in the private collection of Matthew Kim and his wife, Kim Chae-kum, who remained close friends and enthusiastic patrons of the artist during his lifetime.
The Christie's Hong Kong auction marked the first time for the painting to be brought under the gavel after Matthew's original purchase in 1971.
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