Powerhouse 'dansaekhwa' master Park Seo-bo dies at 91

Park Seo-bo, widely regarded as a seminal figure in the Korean modern abstract art scene, died Saturday at the age of 91. Courtesy of GIZI Foundation

By Park Han-sol

Park Seo-bo, widely regarded as a seminal figure in the Korean modern abstract art scene, passed away on Saturday after a battle with lung cancer. He was 91.

As one of the founding members of the formative “dansaekhwa” (monochrome painting) movement that emerged in the early 1970s, Park emphasized the meditative aspects of art production derived from purposeless and endless repetition ― to the point of “emptying oneself out.”

“Without reaching that spiritual realm, the painting becomes something that’s merely pretending to be dansaekhwa," he once said.

In February, the veteran artist revealed his diagnosis of stage 3 lung cancer. Choosing not to pursue treatment, Park continued to paint while in a wheelchair, driven by his desire to “draw at least one more line on canvas.”

Born in 1931 in Yecheon, North Gyeongsang Province during the Japanese colonial rule, Park attended the College of Fine Arts at Hongik University in 1950 amid the Korean War.

Upon his graduation, he initiated a boycott against the “Kukjon,” or the juried National Art Exhibition, with fellow creatives, critiquing its academicism and conservatism. This marked the beginning of his pioneering role in Korea’s Art Informel movement.

Park Seo-bo's "Ecriture No.220907" (2022) / Courtesy of the artist, Johyun Gallery

Park’s name has long been synonymous with his signature “Ecriture” series that propelled him to international acclaim.

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The series began in the early 1970s as “pencil-Ecriture,” inspired by his three-year-old son’s rudimentary penmanship. It was in 1967 when he observed his son’s pencil marks on paper, produced in frustration during a handwriting practice session.

Witnessing the child’s sense of resignation became a pivotal moment in the artist’s pursuit to empty his mind through his art. Park began emulating his son by applying numerous graphite lines on a canvas coated with wet, white paint.

Later, “hanji” (traditional Korean paper made from the bark of mulberry trees), as well as the sumptuous hues and composition of the landscape ― both natural and man-made ― entered his canvas, giving rise to “mid-Ecriture” and “color-Ecriture” phases.

Mourners bow at the funeral altar of late dansaekhwa master Park Seo-bo at Seoul National University Hospital's funeral hall in central Seoul, Saturday. Yonhap

Park cultivated his home country’s contemporary art scene not only as a painter but also as a critic and educator. He taught at his alma mater Hongik University from 1962 to 1997 and served as the dean of the College of Fine Arts.

His works have been featured in international exhibitions in New York, London, Venice, Seoul, Singapore and Vienna, among other cities. This summer, he participated in the group show, “Origin, Emergence, Return,” at the Rockefeller Center alongside Lee Bae and Jin Meyerson, as part of the first-ever celebration of Korean culture at the landmark New York City complex.

His artworks are included in the collections of major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Art Institute of Chicago and the M+ Hong Kong.

In 2021, the painter was awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest cultural merit honor, bestowed by the Korean government.

Last year, Park became the first Korean artist to be part of Louis Vuitton’s ArtyCapucines project. The design of the French luxury house’s iconic Capucines handbags featured an original 2016 red painting from his “color-Ecriture” series.

The first museum dedicated to the artist, tentatively dubbed the Park Seo-bo Art Museum, is currently under construction in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, with plans to open to the public next summer.

“Before I leave this world, this will be built as an establishment that can stand strong even when compared to its larger counterparts,” he said of the three-story museum at a press conference held on the island in March.

Park is survived by his wife, Yoon Myoung-sook as well as two sons and a daughter. His memorial service is being held at Seoul National University Hospital’s funeral hall in central Seoul.