Untitled, 1977

Sang Hwa CHUNG  

Chung Sang-Hwa (b. 1932) played an integral role in the development of Korean contemporary art and is a leading figure associated with the Dansaekhwa movement after first exploring works in the style of Informel. His works from the 60s displayed the “matiere” effect or unevenness of the painted surface by deliberately wrinkling the surface by heating and removing the kaolin mineral applied to the canvas and then applying pigment onto the surface.  Moving away from the Informel style in the late 60s, the artist further explored the multi-layered space and surface texture achieving his most innovative and ingenious style by creating patterns from geometric shapes, simplifying the composition, and minimalizing the color palette.

Chung is well known for his innovative painting method and technique using repetitive and systematic process of “tearing off” and “filling in” the work on canvas. This process has been a hallmark of his monochromatic grid painting practice to date.  His works find meaning in visualizing the very process that leads up to a final creation, where the process proceeding the output itself defines the work and narrates its qualities as a piece of art. Chung’s first retrospective exhibition was successfully held at Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain, Saint-Étienne, France in 2011, and his upcoming retrospective exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea is scheduled for 2021.

His works are included in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, Korea, Hirshhorn Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, M+ Museum, Hong Kong; Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain, Saint Étienne Métropole, Guggenheim, Abu Dhabi, UAE, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art and the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum.