In 2021, the bereaved family of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kunhee donated more than 23,000 cultural assets and works of art from his personal collection to the National Museum of Korea, which has been recognized as the ‘donation of the century.’ As a result, the exhibition is named after him, the ‘Lee Kunhee Collection.’ His collection is part of a national tour exhibition, which recently took place at the Daejeon Museum of Art. The collection exhibits the works of 39 artists active in the 20th century, including Kim Whanki, Park Sookeun, Lee Jungseop, Yoo Youngkuk, and Chang Ucchin. You may have heard the names if you are interested in Korean art. These artists are known as the first generation to create Korean modern and contemporary art, laying the foundation for Korean modern and contemporary art during the tumultuous period of the 20th century marked by the Japanese colonial era, the Korean War, and the period of industrialization.
The artists, as pioneers of Korean modern and contemporary art, accepted 'newness' with an independent and radical attitude and established their own traits by pursuing a remarkable change in the landscape of Korean Art. This played a significant role in narrowing the gap with the Western art world and embracing the contemporary sense, as well as marking the beginning of 'Korean modernism,' becoming the history and origin of Korean contemporary art. Their pioneering efforts have made them legends in today's Korean art community.
The exhibition exhibited nearly 70 works by a total of 39 artists, including the aforementioned five masters. It was a very large exhibition in terms of the number of artists and the number of exhibited artworks. Thanks to this large scale, I was able to see various works by various artists in one place. Although there are lots of exhibitions displaying the works of masters today, it is hard to find an exhibition that displays the artworks of numerous masters at once. In this respect, the exhibition gives art lovers an ecstatic experience. Furthermore, it took only half an hour to get there, and the admission fee was only 500 won, which shocked me (more surprisingly, for those under the age of 24, it is only 300 won). I strongly recommend visiting the Daejeon Museum of Art (DMA), where you can see various art collections. After enjoying an exhibition, you can stroll through the relaxing Daejeon Expo Citizens’ Park.
Sadly, the ‘Lee Kunhee Collection: Masters of 20th Century Korean Art’ exhibition has ended, but you can still attend various art exhibitions like ‘Open Storage’ from October 24 to February 12 and the ‘2023 World Famous Art Special Exhibition,’ from November 7 to February 25 at the DMA. I hope you visit the Daejeon Museum of Art and enjoy the various exhibitions someday!
Directions
Location: 155 Dunsandaero (Mannyeon-dong), Seo-gu, Daejeon
Exhibition Period: 23.06.27~23.10.01
Opening Hours: 10:00~19:00
Admission Fee: ₩500 (₩300 for those under the age of 24)
Contact: 042) 270-7378
Website: www.daejeon.go.kr/dma
Chungnam National University to the Daejeon Museum of Art by bus
- 108 Bus (Chungnam National University Library – The Korean Teachers Pension Office) ⇒ 20 minutes on foot
- 108 Bus (Chungnam National University Library – The Korean Teachers Pension Office) ⇒ 4 minutes on foot ⇒ 606 Bus (Ggumnamu APT – Daejeon Arts Center)