Opening Reception: Friday, 4 May 2018 | 6 – 8 pm

Tina Kim Gallery is pleased to present Conjunction, a solo exhibition of works by Korean artist Ha Chong-Hyun. On view from 4 May – 16 June 2018, the exhibition features all-new paintings from his Conjunction series. This marks Chong-Hyun’s third solo exhibition in New York and his second with the gallery.

As a leading member of Korea’s Dansaekhwa (monochrome) movement, Ha gained prominence combining painting traditions from both the East and the West. Working with muted earth tones on burlap and hemp canvases and challenging the strict delineation between sculpture, painting, and performance, Ha was instrumental in defining Korean modernism. His early interest in unorthodox materials including barbed wire, newsprint, and scrap lumber were a direct response to the context of postwar Korea and today the artist continues to balance aesthetic concerns and an innovative technique within a historical milieu. For this exhibition, Chong-Hyun has created artworks not only in his signature palette of neutrals and navy, but also in vibrant shades of red – his brightest color to date.

Each work presented in this solo exhibition serves as a continuation of Chong-Hyun’s Conjunction series, a lifelong project that he began in 1974. In Conjunction, Chong-Hyun celebrates the painterly process by combining physical labor and mindful action into powerful abstract compositions. Rather than applying paint to the front of the canvas, the artist begins by applying it to the backside after which he forces it through the canvas onto the fabric’s front. This process is referred to as bae-ap-bub in Korean, which translates as “back pressure method.” In applying the paint verso, the wet medium records the dense texture of the woven ground as it is pushed through, thereby alluding to what is typically hidden. 

Pairing his bae-ap-bub technique with the utilization of a palette knife to lay down thick impasto lines, Ha Chong-Hyun transforms each painting into a visceral three-dimensional surface. This interest in the paint’s body is evidenced in works like Conjunction 17-20, which features thick, vertical stripes that jut across the center of the canvas. Protruding towards the viewer, each stripe is given a tactile, voluminous appearance. In addition to the all-new paintings created specifically for this show, the show will include select historical works from Chong-Hyun’s oeuvre.

Accompanying the exhibition is a monograph on the artist, which has been published by Gregory R. Miller & Co., designed by Matsumoto Incorporated and features texts by art critic Barry Schwabsky, H.G. Masters, writer and Editor-at-Large for ArtAsiaPacific, and Hui Kyung An, Assistant Curator of Asian Art at the Guggenheim.

ABOUT HA CHONG-HYUN

Ha Chong-Hyun has lived and worked in Seoul since graduating from Hongik University in 1959. From 1990 to 1994, he served as the Dean of the Fine Arts College at Hongik University and was the Director of the Seoul Museum of Art from 2001 to 2006.

Ha has had major solo exhibitions at Espace Paul Ricard, Paris (1999); Mudima Foundation of Contemporary, Milan (2003); and Gyeongnam Art Museum, Changwon, South Korea (2004). In addition, he represented South Korea in major international art exhibitions such as Paris Biennale in 1961; São Paolo Art Biennale in 1967 and 1977; Venice Biennale in 1995; and Prague Biennale in 2009. Recent exhibitions include a major retrospective at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Gwacheon (2012), Dansaekhwa Collateral Event of the 56th International Art Exhibition-La Biennale di Venezia (2015) and a solo exhibition at Kukje Gallery, Seoul (2015).

Ha Chong-Hyun works are held in public collections of prominent institutions, such as Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Art Institute of Chicago; M+ Museum, Hong Kong; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea; and Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul.

ABOUT TINA KIM GALLERY

Founded in New York in 2001 and located in Chelsea, Tina Kim Gallery is celebrated for its unique programming that emphasizes international contemporary artists, historical overviews, and independently curated shows. Tina Kim Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm.

PRESS INQUIRIES

Gloria Cardona | Tina Kim Gallery
gloria@tinakimgallery.com | +1 212-716-1100

Patrick Reiher | Sutton
patrick@suttonpr.com | +1 212-202-3402

Korean, b.1935

1935           
Born in Sancheong, Korea

1959           
Graduated from the Dept. of Painting, Hong Ik University, Seoul, Korea

Select Solo Exhibitions

2019               
Almine Rech Gallery, London, UK (upcoming)

2018               
Tina Kim Gallery, New York, USA

2017               
Almine Rech Gallery, London, UK
Almine Rech Gallery, Paris, France

2016               
Blum & Poe, LA, USA

2015               
Tina Kim Gallery, NY, USA
Kukje Gallery, Seoul, Korea

2014               
Blum and Poe, NY, USA

2012               
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea

2010               
Severance Art Space, Seoul, Korea

2009               
Seok Gallery, Daegu, Korea
Bluedot M Gallery, Changwon, Korea
Winter Gallery, Wiesbaden, Germany

2008               
Gana Art Center, Seoul, Korea

2004               
Gyeongnam Art Museum, Changwon, Korea
Gallery Bizutsu Sekai, Tokyo, Japan

2003               
Mudima Fondation for Contemporary Art, Milano, Italy

2002               
Busan Museum of Art, Busan, Korea
Gallery Bizutsu Sekai, Tokyo, Japan

2001               
Kamakura Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Chosunilbo Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea

2000               
Contemporary Art Museum, Hong Ik Univ., Seoul, Korea

1999               
Espace Paul Ricard, Paris, France

1997               
Samtuh Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Kamakura Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1996               
Biever-Risch Gallery, Luxembourg, Luxembourg

1995               
Hanlim Gallery, Daejeon, Korea

1994               
Waserman Gallery, Munich, Germany
Kamakura Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1992               
Nabis Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1990               
Kamakura Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1985               
Kamakura Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1984               
Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

1979               
Muramatsu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1977               
Space Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1975                 
Moonhun Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1974                 
Myungdong Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1972                 
Gin Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

Select Group Exhibitions

2018               
Renegades in Resistance and Challenge, Daegu Art Museum, Daegu, Korea

2017               
Rhythm in Monochrome: Korean Abstract Painting, Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Toyko, Japan
The Ascetic Path: Korean Dansaekhwa, Erarta Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
Arts of Korea, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Asian Diva: The Muse and the Monster, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Looking into Korea Art, Part 2: Dansaekhwa, Museum SAN, Wonju, Korea
Thinking Out Loud: Notes for an Evolving Collection, Warehouse, Rachofsky Collection, Texas, USA

2016
Permanent Collection, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA
Dansaekhwa and Minimalism, Blum and Poe, NY&LA, USA
KM 9346: Korea-Morbihan 9,346km, Domaine de Kerguéhennec, Bignan, France
MMCA Gwacheon, 30 Years 1986-2016 ＜As the Moon Waxes and Wanes>, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea
When Process Becomes Form: Dansaekhwa and Korean Abstraction, Villa Empain - Boghossian Foundation, Brussels, Belgium
New Beginnings: Between Gesture and Geometry, Athens, Greece
Hybridizing Earth/Discussing Multitude, Busan Biennale, Busan, Korea

2015               
Dansaekhwa, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
Avant Garde Asia: Lines of Korean Masters, Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, Hong Kong
Bold Abstractions: Selections from the DMA Collection 1966-1976, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX
PROPORTIO, Palazzo Fortuny, Venice, Italy
45th Anniversary of Gallery Hyundai: Korean Abstract Painting, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea
Gallery Roh, Seoul, Korea

2014               
The art of Dansaekhwa, Kukje gallery, Seoul, Korea
From all sides: Tansaekhwa on abstraction, Blum and Poe, LA, USA
Unconstraint Creation, Hakgojae Gallery, Shanghai, China
Overcoming the Modern: Dansaekhwa, The Korean Monochrome Movement, Alexander Gray Associates, New York, NY
Empty Fullness: Materiality and Spirituality in Contemporary Korean Art, Korean Cultural Center, Beijing, China. Traveled to SPSI Art Museum, Shanghai, China; Koreanisches Kulturzentrum, Berlin, Germany; National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia

2012               
Dansaekhwa: Korean Monochrome Painting, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea

2011               
Qi is Full, Daegu Art Museum, Daegu, Korea
The Spectrum of Contemporary Korean Art, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

2010               
Korean Avant-garde Drawing: 1970-2000, Seoul Olympic Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea

2009               
Bong Whang 137, Sunshine International Art Museum, Beijing, China
Monochrome Art in Korea, Wellside Gallery, Shanghai, China

2008               
The 5th Busan Biennale, Busan, Korea
Korean Abstract Art 1958-2008, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
The Color of Nature: Monochrome Art in Korea, Pyo Gallery, Seoul, Korea

2007               
Contemplation on a Space, Gana Art Busan, Busan, Korea
Abstract Art: Amusement on the Border, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea

2004               
Korean Contemporary Paintings: Past and Now, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea

2003               
The Seoul Art Exhibition, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea

2002               
Age of Philosophy & Aesthetics, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea

2001               
Development of the Korean Contemporary Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea

2000               
Postwar Abstract Art in Korea and West: Passion and Expression, Ho-am Gallery, Seoul, Korea
The Facets of Korean & Japanese Contemporary Art, Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, Korea
A Passage to New Millennium, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea
Plane as Spirits, Busan Museum of Art, Busan, Korea
The Horizontal for a New Millenium, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

1998               
Les peintres du silence - Huit maitres contemporains, Musees Montbeliard, France
PICAF, Busan Museum of Art, Busan, Korea

1996               
Korean Monochrome Paintings in 70s, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea

1995               
The Tiger’s Tail: 15 Korean Contemporary Artists for Venice 95, Palazzo Vendramin, Venice, Italy
Seoul International Painting Exhibition, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea
Korean Contemporary Paintings, Hanlim Gallery, Daejeon, Korea
Contemporary Korean Paintings, Paris City Museum, Paris, France
Nature of Korea, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1993               
12 Contemporary Artists from Korea, Miyagi Museum, Sendai, Japan The 45th Biennale de Venice, Venice, Italy
Korean Contemporary Art, Total Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

1992               
Flows from the Far East: Recent Korean Art Scene, Concourse Gallery, Barbican Center, London, UK

1991              
Korea Contemporary Paintings, Zagreb, National Museum Zagreb, Ljubljana, Cankarjev dom, Sarajevo, Collegium Artisticum, Belgrade, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

1990               
Korean Art Today, Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, Korea

1989               
Hiroshima, Hiroshima City Museum of Modern Art, Hiroshima, Japan

1988               
The 4 Korean Artists, Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
The 24 Olympiad Arts, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea

1987               
The 31st Toyama International Arts Exhibition, Toyama, Japan
4 Korean Contemporary Artists, Laboratory Gallery, Sapporo, Japan

1986               
Korean Arts Yesterday and Today, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea
Asia Contemporary Arts, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea

1985               
The 3rd Human Documents 1984-1985, Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
70 Years of Korean Western Painting, Hoam Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Modern Art from the Past 40 Years, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

1984               
Contemporary Korean Art: The Late ‘70s - A Situation, Korean Culture and Arts Foundation Art Center, Seoul, Korea
Korean Contemporary Art 84’, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Korean Arts of 60’s, Walker Hill Museum, Seoul, Korea
Korean Contemporary Art in 60’s, Duson Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1983               
Korean Contemporary Arts Exhibition of the 70s Exhibition, Tokyo Museum of Art, Tokyo & Tochigi Municipal Museum of Art, Tochigi & Hokkaido, Museum of Modern Art, Sapporo & Fukuoka City Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
Exchange Exhibition of Print and Drawing Between Seoul and San Francisco, U.S.I.S., USA
Seoul & World Print Council, San Francisco & Korean Cultural Service, LA
Korea: New Paper Works, Spring Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

1983-1982                  
The Art of Contemporary Paper: Korea and Japan, Deoksugung Art Museum,
Seoul & Kyoto, Municipal Museum, Kyoto & Saitama Museum of Modern Art, Urawa & Kumamoto Folk Museum, Kumamoto, Japan

1981               
Drawing ‘81, Deoksugung Art Museum, Seoul, Korea
Work on Paper: Korean Contemporary Drawings, Dongsanbang Gallery, Seoul, Korea/Art Core Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
Drawings by Korean Artists, Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA
Contemporary Asian Arts, Fukuoka Museum, Fukuoka, Japan

1978               
The 2nd Rencontres International d’art Contemporain, Gallerie National de Grand Palais, Paris, France
The Trend for the Past 20 Years in Korean Contemporary Art, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

1977               
The 13th Biennale de Sao Paolo, Sao Paolo, Brazil
Korean Contemporary Art, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan

1975               
The 3rd India Triennale, New Delhi, India
The 4th Avant Garde Exhibition, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

1974               
The 6th Cagnes International Painting Festival, Cagnes, France
The 1st Seoul Biennale, Korean Avant Garde Association, Seoul, Korea

1973               
Korean Contemporary Art 1957-1972: Formative and Informative, Myungdong Gallery, Seoul, Korea 
13 Contemporary Artists, Signum Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Exhibition for 100 Modern Korean Painters, Deoksugung Art Museum, Seoul, Korea

1972               
The 3rd Avant Garde Exhibition, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

1972-1969      
Korean Contemporary Painting Exhibition, touring Japan, India, Pakistan, and Nepal

1971               
The 2nd Avant Garde Exhibition, Reality and Realization, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea
The 7th Biennale de Paris, Paris, France

1970               
The 1st Avant Garde Exhibition, Korean Information Center Gallery, Seoul, Korea
The 7th Tokyo Print Biennale, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japan
6 Korean Contemporary Artists, Tokiwa Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1969               
11 Young Artists from Korea, Solidaridad Gallery, Manila, Philippines

1969-1960      
The Contemporary Art Exhibit, Organized by Chosun Daily Newspaper, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea

1968               
Korean Contemporary Painting Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan

1967               
The 9th Biennale de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

1965               
The 4th Biennale de Paris, Paris, France
The 4th Cultural Freedom Invitational Exhibition, Yechong Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1961
The 2nd Paris Youth Biennale, Paris, France

Museum and Public Collections

Art and Culture Foundation of Ilshin, Seoul, Korea
Ewha Womens University Museum, Seoul, Korea
Fukuoka Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, Korea
Ho-Am Art Museum, Yongin, Korea
Hong Ik University Museum, Seoul, Korea
M+, Hong Kong, China
Mie Prefectural Art Museum, Mie, Japan
Miyagi Art Museum, Miyagi, Japan
Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima, Japan
Museum of Modern Art, New York
Museum of Modern Art, Toyama, Japan
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
Posco Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Seoul Olympic Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Shimonoseki City Art Museum, Simonoseki, Japan
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
The George Economou Collection
Gyeongi Museum of Modern Art, Ansan, Korea
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA
The Rachofsky Collection, Dallas, USA