The Seoul Museum is launching a significant posthumous retrospective celebrating the diverse artistic achievements of Chun Kyung-ja (1924-2015), one of South Korea's most influential female artists who blazed an unconventional trail with her vibrant and fantastical paintings. The exhibition, titled "The 101st Page of My Sad Legend," commemorates the 10th anniversary of her death and represents the artist's most comprehensive show since her final 2006 exhibition, "The 82 Beautiful Pages of My Life."
The retrospective brings together approximately 80 color paintings, which constitute the most significant genre of her artistic career, alongside an extensive collection of archival materials including her personal writings and book illustrations. Museum officials announced that the exhibition specifically aims to reassess her artistic legacy, particularly recognizing her groundbreaking contribution as "the first Korean artist" to donate the copyrights of her works to society for public benefit.
Ahn Byung-gwang, the museum's founder, expressed the emotional urgency behind organizing this exhibition. "At a time when it can take a lifetime to build a reputation but only a second to lose it, the thought that our opportunity to reevaluate was expiring was heart-wrenching," he explained. "That is the reason we have prepared this exhibition," he added, emphasizing the critical importance of reassessing her contributions to Korean art.
Chun Kyung-ja was widely recognized as one of Korea's most original painters, celebrated for creating a unique artistic universe filled with fantasy and mythical elements, particularly through her deeply expressive portraits of women. However, she simultaneously became one of the country's most controversial art figures when she found herself at the center of a perplexing forgery scandal that erupted in 1991. The dispute centered around a painting that she vehemently insisted was not her work, despite strong counterclaims from art critics who maintained its authenticity.
The controversy ultimately forced Chun to abruptly withdraw from the Korean art scene in the mid-1990s after becoming deeply embroiled in the authentication dispute. She made a famous declaration regarding the contested painting: "My work is like my own blood, infused with my soul. What parent would ever fail to recognize their own child? I did not paint that picture." This passionate statement reflected her profound connection to her artistic creations and her unwavering stance on the matter.
In 1998, demonstrating remarkable generosity toward future generations, Chun donated over 90 pieces of her paintings along with their copyrights to the Seoul Museum of Art, specifically requesting that they be preserved for people to enjoy. This unprecedented gesture established her as a pioneer in artistic philanthropy and ensured her works would remain accessible to the public.
While Chun is best known for her evocative portraits of women, the current exhibition showcases the remarkable breadth and diversity of her artistic output. Among the highlighted works is "Spring Rain," a 1966 painting depicting her hometown of Goheung, a southwestern coastal county in South Jeolla Province. Rendered in luminous blue tones, this work creates a dreamlike atmosphere by weaving together a rich composition featuring dynamic waves, fishing boats, women gracefully balancing baskets on their heads, fully blossomed trees, and sweeping mountain scenery.
The exhibition also reveals Chun's deep passion for cinema, reflecting her background as a film enthusiast who once harbored dreams of becoming an actress. She found particular comfort and inspiration in painting subjects drawn from the film industry. Her piece "Door of Youth" was modeled after the enigmatic Swedish-born American actress Greta Garbo (1905-1990), while her 1973 painting "Pansy" portrays the iconic Marilyn Monroe, demonstrating her ability to capture the essence of legendary screen personalities.
"The 101st Page of My Sad Legend" opens to the public on Wednesday and will continue through January 25, providing visitors with an extensive opportunity to explore and appreciate the complex legacy of this pioneering Korean artist. The exhibition promises to offer fresh perspectives on Chun Kyung-ja's contributions to Korean art while addressing the controversies that marked her later career.
