About Kim Chong Hak, Painter of Seoraksan
The High Museum in Atlanta proudly presents the exhibition of Kim Chong Hak, a distinguished painter from South Korea revered as “the painter of Seoraksan,” the highest peak in the Taebaek mountain range. This exhibition features over seventy works, including recent acquisitions from the High’s collection, showcasing pivotal moments in Kim’s artistic journey and illuminating a facet of late twentieth-century Korean art that remains relatively unknown outside of South Korea.
Kim Chong Hak, born in 1937 in Sinuiju, Korea, initially ventured into abstract painting during the 1960s. However, he soon turned away from Western-style abstraction, which he believed reflected a national melancholy born from years of hardship. By the late 1970s, Kim established his life and studio in Gangwon Province, Eastern South Korea, near Mount Seorak. There, he sought a new artistic path, moving away from the prevailing monochromatic styles of the time to embrace a more expressive and vibrant approach. His deep connection with the environments surrounding Mount Seorak has shaped his artistic vision, allowing him to develop a profound emotional relationship with the natural world during years of voluntary isolation in the mountains.
This exhibition at the High Museum offers a rare opportunity to explore the rich and evocative works of Kim Chong Hak, a master artist whose dedication to his craft continues to resonate with audiences today.
