The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has brought together masterpieces of modern and contemporary ink art from South Korea and China at its Deoksugung venue in Seoul.

The exhibition “The Modern and Contemporary Ink Art of the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China” was jointly curated with the National Art Museum of China. The two museums agreed to co-host the exhibition in 2022 in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, but the plan was postponed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibition opened on Nov. 28.

Featuring collections from MMCA and NAMOC, the exhibition aims to shed light on how ink painting in the two countries has evolved. A total of 148 works – 74 paintings from each museum – are shown at the exhibition in four sections.

In the section “The Dawn and Innovations of the Modern Era,” Korean ink paintings that span from the early 20th century to the 1970s show how they went through significant transformations in materials, techniques, size and meaning.

With the advent of the modernity, the Korean term “seohwa,” meaning calligraphy and painting, gave way to the concept of “dongyanghwa,” referring to Asian or Oriental painting, thereby separating the art of calligraphy from forms of painting that use brush, ink and paper, the exhibition shows.

Chinese ink art masterpieces that represent 100 years of modern Chinese art history are introduced to audiences, including state-designated relics classified from grades one to three. It is unprecedented for a Korean art museum to exhibit 32 pieces of China's most highly graded relics, according to MMCA.

“Through ink art, a shared cultural gene of East Asia with rich historical depth, we will enhance cultural resonance between Korea and China and present a beautiful visual feast for the people of both countries. I hope this exhibition serves as a cornerstone for constructing a new chapter in the history of Korean and Chinese painting,” said Wu Weishan, director of NAMOC.

Some of the Chinese works on display that have rarely been shown to the public include “Wisteria” by calligrapher Wu Changshuo from 1920, ink painter Xu Beihong’s “War Horse” from 1942, and contemporary ink painter Wu Zuoren’s “Gobi Caravan” from 1978.

The exhibition will be accompanied by special programs such as “Curator Talk” and “MMCA Exhibition Talk: Conversations with Artists,” inviting audiences and experts from both countries.

“We aim to solidify cultural and artistic cooperation between Korea and China, and we plan to conduct in-depth research and discussions through exhibition-related workshops and international academic conferences,” said Kim Sung-hee, director of MMCA.

The exhibition features Korean contemporary artists inspired by the techniques of traditional ink painting. These artists include Lee Jin-ju, who is rooted in traditional Korean painting and has expanded artistic practice in a contemporary direction, exploring the psychological process of individual memory and perception in her paintings.

The exhibition will run through Feb. 16.