About Kim Chong Hak, Painter of Seoraksan
The High Museum in Atlanta presents an exhibition dedicated to the master painter Kim Chong Hak, born in 1937 in Sinuiju, Korea. Renowned as “the painter of Seoraksan,” Kim’s work celebrates the natural beauty of Mount Seorak, the highest peak in South Korea’s Taebaek mountain range. Featuring over seventy pieces, including new acquisitions from the museum’s collection, this exhibition showcases Kim’s mature career and highlights a lesser-known facet of late twentieth-century Korean art.
Kim began his artistic journey as an abstract painter in the 1960s but ultimately distanced himself from Western-style abstraction, viewing it as a reflection of national sadness stemming from past hardships. In the late 1970s, he settled in Gangwon Province, which is also home to Mount Seorak. There, he sought a different artistic path, moving away from the prevalent monochromatic styles of the time and embracing a vibrant, expressive technique. Throughout decades of self-imposed isolation in the mountains, Kim has focused on interpreting the landscapes of Mount Seorak, fostering a deep artistic and emotional connection to nature.
