Lee Choun Hwan's painting : One of the series of “The Mood of the Mountain”
Lee Choun Hwan, who had been mainly working on literary and ink paintings since he took the rostrum in his early 20s, established his unique art world by reinterpreting Korean painting from a modern viewpoint. As seen in his semi-figurative art such as “The Mood of the Mountain,” “The Moon Jar,” and “The Moon Jar (Gold),” his artworks began from finding Korean subjects and eventually reached complete abstractness with his “Light + Grain” series.
His artwork on the creation and destruction of the universe starts from the dot and then moves on to lines and sides, continuing the relationship between artworks. The process of various colors harmonizing on a huge flat surface and forming a simplified pattern in the midst of intricacy is reminiscent of light and wave, and thus enables viewers to discover the form of nature in his artwork. The subtle movements in the artwork are not one-sided to achieve a balance; these are devises that are implicit in the cycles of the nature and the principles of the negative and positive.
The origin of all artworks is the image of the sea that is imprinted on his mind since he was born in Wando, the island of Korea. The landscape of Wando became a motivation for him to depict the nature constantly. Beyond simply portraying the appearance of nature, this made him be rooted in the truth and law of nature, which is related to Eastern philosophy. Lee embodies the logic of deep and mellow mystery, including the condensed trace of the continuity that repeats emptying and filling the mind after the time of endurance. Eventually, the glare of grain that stoles everyone’s eyes with the moonlight shows the existence of embrace, meeting sounds from the inner side.
In 1956, Lee Choun Hwan was born in Wando, South Korea. Lee graduated from the graduate school of education at Konkuk University and has participated in thirteen solo exhibitions and around three hundred group exhibitions. Moreover, Lee has been working as an adjunct professor of the Police Comprehensive Academy and visiting professor of army headquarters, endeavoring to do various activities in the art field.
Lee Choun Hwan's first solo exhibition in New York, Meeting Sounds from the Inner SideLee Choun Hwan's first solo exhibition in New York, "Meeting Sounds from the Inner Side," will be held from April 7 to 19 at Mizuma & Kips, a Lower East Side gallery dedicated to displaying the very best in fine art from Korea, Japan, and Singapore. Mizuma & Kips has held solo exhibitions of world-renowned Korean artists such as Suh Yong Sun. It has been paying attention to Lee who uniquely expresses Korean sentiments by using Western painting techniques. Seojeong Art Center and Mizuma & Kips have jointly organized this exhibition to introduce the artist and enhance international exposure of his paintings. After this exhibition in New York, solo exhibitions in Italy and another city in the U.S. are being planned to promote his paintings abroad and build global presence. Lee Choun Hwan started with traditional ink wash paintings. Yet he has also been constantly exploring the color of nature for more than 40 years by using materials and techniques of Western painting. Through this journey, he has created his own artistic world where traditional aesthetic consciousness and modern beauty are harmonized. The New York exhibition displays 13 works including The Mood of the Mountain and The Moon Jar series, and paintings showing his new approach. Most of all, the use of Korean paper is notable in The Mood of the Mountain #396 (2021). The painting reveals the texture of Korean paper and its physical properties. In particular, this work visualizes the sound of nature expresses the painter's Eastern philosophy. Lee Daehee, CEO of Seojeong Art Center, said, “Many people are having a rough day due to COVID-19. It is art that can give them comfort and the strength to endure such a time. I want to convey a message of hope through the works of an artist who gives peace to the mind with nature and philosophy.” Meanwhile, Seojeong Art Center held “The Sound of Nature,” an exhibition of his ink paintings, at the main gallery of Seojeong Art Center From March 10 to 23, 2021, before his solo exhibition in New York. At the exhibition, art works based on places of his inspiration were displayed.[2]
"Lee Choun Hwan's Ink Wash Paintings Exhibited at 2021 Busan Anuual Market of Art"
Lee Choun Hwan's ink wash paintings were exhibited at 2021 Busan Anuual Market of Art (BAMA) held from April 9 to 11.[3] Lee started his career as a fine artist specializing in traditional ink wash paintings. He has not only advanced his ink painting techniques but developed a creative style of his own by using materials and techniques of Western paintings. Lee presented 16 artworks to the BAMA show, which ranged from traditional ink wash painting to new-style works. These pieces represent his 40 years journey as an artist and highlight differences between his early paintings and latest ones, which include the series of “The Mood of the Mountain.” One of his representative ink paintings, “The Sound of Nature” (2005) was created by only varying the density of ink, which radiates a sense of calm. “Jeongdori Gugyedeung” (2005), “Danyang, Mid-rain” (2005), and “Ulsanbawi Rock After Snowfall” (2005), which depict a fog flow on the mountains, sea and river, were based on the places where he got motivated and expanded understanding of nature. Compared to the delicate stroke of these ink paintings, the recently created "The Mood of The Mountain" series feature a simpler color and structure. The artist also tried stone powder on paintings like "The Mood of The Mountain #393," which describes a mountain at dawn, and "The Mood of The Mountain #390," which depicts the atmosphere of a mountain in fall. The artist said, “Memories of my hometown are my deepest motivation, and they give me inspiration and creativity when I seek for new a approach or techniques.” He added, “It's a pleasure to participate in such a great art fair, BAMA 2021, and have a chance to share my artistic experiences with visitors.”
