By Woo Jae-yeon
The highly anticipated exhibition, “Ha Chong-hyun: Retrospective,” is poised to captivate art enthusiasts with a comprehensive collection of approximately 50 paintings. This landmark show, featuring works created as recently as this year, meticulously traces Korean artist Ha Chong-hyun’s profound artistic journey and evolution over six decades.
Born in 1935, Ha Chong-hyun is a pivotal figure in contemporary Korean art. He graduated from Hongik University with a degree in fine art, later dedicating over 30 years as a professor there and serving as dean of the school’s fine arts department from 1990-94. His esteemed career also includes a tenure as director of the Seoul Museum of Art from 2001 to 2006.
The 90-year-old artist is globally recognized for his distinctive “Conjunction” series. This signature technique involves pushing thick oil paint through the reverse side of coarse canvas, resulting in unique, tactile textures on the front. This innovative process not only highlights the material essence of paint and canvas but also seamlessly merges physical effort with abstract expression, a hallmark of his artistic philosophy.
“Labeling him solely as a Dansaekhwa master, while accurate in part, doesn’t fully capture the depth of his contributions,” stated Lee So-young, the Barbara Bass Bakar director and CEO of the Asian Art Museum, during a recent press conference in Seoul.
She emphasized, “Ha Chong-hyun’s diverse body of work and remarkable career demand broader recognition. This upcoming retrospective marks a crucial step in showcasing his comprehensive artistic legacy.”
Beyond his famous “Conjunction” works, the exhibition will explore Ha’s early informal pieces from the 1960s, where he extensively experimented with paper, paint, and various mixed media, prioritizing materiality over conventional painting techniques. It will also feature his bold, avant-garde creations from the 1970s, illustrating his continuous exploration and innovation.
Lee So-young highlighted the particular significance of this exhibition, marking Ha Chong-hyun’s first major museum exhibition in North America. Its timing coincides with the 50th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Seoul and San Francisco, adding a layer of cultural resonance to the event.
“This milestone year for Korean art extends beyond Ha’s exhibition,” she added, referencing another forthcoming Korea-related exhibition, “RM x SFMOMA,” at the San Francisco Modern Art Museum. This exhibition will feature approximately 200 artworks from the personal collection of RM, leader of the global K-pop sensation BTS. “Indeed, this year is shaping up to be a monumental period for showcasing Korean culture and art internationally,” she concluded.
The Asian Art Museum (AAM) has a long-standing commitment to Korean art, establishing the first U.S. art institution’s curatorial department dedicated to Korean art in 1989 and opening a permanent Korean gallery in 2003.
Ha Chong-hyun’s esteemed artworks are housed in major international collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, solidifying his status as a globally influential artist.
The “Ha Chong-hyun: Retrospective” is scheduled to open its doors on September 25 and will run until January 25, 2027, offering ample opportunity for visitors to experience his profound artistry.
