‘Humorous Korean folk paintings share spirit with pop art’

“Folk paintings that are freewheeling, comical and humorous are the ‘root of contemporary Korean art.’”

The Korean folk painting exhibition is under way at Adam Mickiewicz Museum in Paris, France to mark the 130th anniversary of the Korea-France ties.

On display at the exhibition "The Root of Korean contemporary Art," which will come to a grand finale on Thursday, are 60 pieces of Korean folk paintings including Chaekga-do (Scholar’s Accoutrements painting), Hwawhe-do (flowers planting), Moran-do (peony painting), Hwajo-do (flowers and birds painting), Eohae-do (crab painting), Sansu-do (scenery painting), and Munja-do (alphabets drawing), as well as artworks by contemporary Korean artists.

In attendance at the opening ceremony on March 14 were more than 200 people including the French culture minister. French people visiting the exhibition displayed keen interest in humorous, modern and decorative expressions presented in Korean folk paintings, which are different from Chinese paintings and Japanese paintings.

“Korea’s contemporary art began in earnest as recently as in the 1970s, but generated a number of world-class artists, because freewheeling spirit and technique of folk paintings that started in the 18th and 19th centuries served as the root of contemporary art," said Han Hye-wook, head of Helio Art, the organizer of the exhibition.

French visitors were deeply impressed by perspective of multiple viewpoints, modern lines and decorations and sense of hues shown on Chaekga-do, which used to be placed in classical scholars’ rooms during the Joseon Dynasty. “I heard that Pablo Picasso’s cubism was inspired and influenced by ancient arts from Africa or murals from Egypt," visitor Françoise Emilia (34) said at the exhibition. "It is amazing to see such perspective of multiple viewpoints and design decorations of art nouveau style that are presented in Korean folk paintings from the 18th Century as well.”

“Korean folk paintings are art pieces that were drawn and created by ordinary people, unlike royal artworks that pursued immaculate perfection,” Han said. “French spectators seem to be highly enthusiastic about folk paintings, because these paintings shared the same spirit with (today’s) pop art, several centuries earlier than the latter.”

파리=전승훈특파원 raphy@donga.com