Korea shows its modern mettle

EGYPTIAN surrealist art that decorated the Seokjojeon – South Korea’s first Western-style building – during the Japanese colonial period is on view at the Deoksugung branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.
It’s purely by coincidence that the period covered in the exhibition runs from 1938 to 1965, the earlier date coinciding with Egypt’s emergence from the yoke of British colonialism.
Museum director Bartomeu Mari said the show of artwork unfamiliar to most Koreans offers insight into “the meaning of modernity and modern art”.
And it’s important to look at expressions of modernity beyond the traditional centres of power like central Europe and North America, he says. “When Art Becomes Liberty: Egyptian Surrealists (1938-1965)” helps the museum “rewrite the canon of modern art”.
When the state-run museum appointed Mari as director in 2015 there was consternation among the local art crowd. It was the first time since the facility opened in 1969 that a foreigner had been put in charge. Was he up to the task of managing one of the largest such institutions in the world – combining its museums in Gwacheon, Deoksugung and Seoul? Was a foreigner required to bring about the needed innovations?
Mari came under close scrutiny for his decision to exhibit the controversial “Beautiful Woman” – attributed to the late Chun Kyung-ja but which she said was not her work. Though part of the museum’s collection, it had been kept in storage. “It’s been getting positive response from the public,” he says.
“The work needs to be displayed. There is no reason to hide it. I have no objective reason to believe it’s not authentic.”
When two major exhibitions scheduled for this year and next were cancelled or postponed due to budget reasons, Mari’s leadership was again questioned. But he seems unperturbed by such attacks.
The end of the year will bring an exhibition looking at how modern Korean art has represented women and femininity.
“‘Arrival of New Woman’ is important because we’ve never explained enough the evolution of women in contemporary societies,” says Mari.
“This is a way to link art with social and human issues that are of high relevance. This will also make Korean art part of global conversation and connect with intellectual debates globally.
“Korean art is in the world more than ever,” he says. Just back from the Venice Biennale, he said several media outlets named the Korean pavilion showing works by Cody Choi and Lee Wan the |best.
“We need to put major Korean artists of the second half of the 20th century with the rest of the world,” Mari says. Lee Seung-taek’s land art from the late 1950s to the late ’70s could be linked to the current preoccupation with global climate change, for example. Mari also pointed to a generation of painters in their 30s to 40s who are investigating the narrative image.
In an effort to put Korean modern art on the global map, Mario plans to partner with first-class international institutions for exhibitions and seminars.
One area he’d like to examine is how traditional calligraphy connects with abstract painting. Another aspect that interests him is how Korean modern art doesn’t exclude figurative art or chiefly embrace abstraction, as is the case in the West. In fact, it maintains a tension between the two.
Mari’s top priority for the museum is developing long-term research projects, but he needs assurances of continued government support.
“At the same time, collaboration among public, private and institutions can be created. Others have been doing this for more than 20 years,” he says.
To those who consider art a frivolous luxury, Mari has a clear message. “Culture is not the privilege of the rich. It is necessary for every citizen and every individual in the process of becoming a citizen.”
Consider how much culture contributes towards a country’s gross domestic product, he says. “Museums should play a role. We may be central to not only education but also to the use of cultural products. Museums play a central role in the development of tourism.
“I want to put a skin to the museum. Skin is what allows you to have tactile experience. We need museums to be touched by the users. Then will be able to touch back. Art is not only intellectual but also sensual.”