[Exhibition] Lee Ungno & Park In-kyung: Artistic Companions in Life
To commemorate the year falling between the 120th anniversary of Goam Lee Ungno (1904–1989) and the 100th anniversary of Park In-kyung (1926–), the Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong presents Lee Ungno & Park In-kyung: Artistic Companions in Life, running from June 5 to August 2, 2025. This exhibition is co-organized with Galerie Vazieux—based in Paris, where the couple lived after leaving Korea—and follows their presentation at Art Basel Hong Kong 2025.
In addition to the works featured at Art Basel Hong Kong, the exhibition brings together more than 30 major works by Lee Ungno from the 1960s to the 1980s, including the Abstract Letters and People series, alongside around 20 of Park In-kyung’s recent ink-wash abstractions. These works, shown side by side, trace the path the two artists walked together and illuminate their shared sensibilities.
First meeting in 1949 as teacher and student, Lee Ungno and Park In-kyung co-exhibited their artworks in Germany in 1958, and settled in France in 1959. They shared a belief in embracing Western contemporary art while preserving the traditions of East Asian painting, and each developed their own form of Korean abstract painting. As complete and independent artists, Lee Ungno and Park In-kyung worked in different styles. When their works are viewed together, however, one can sense a shared quality—something that emerges only between those who have walked the same path in life. Their mutual interest in nature, their exploration of the visual composition of characters and texts, densely filled surfaces without emptiness, and the tension that arises from crossing the boundaries between figuration and abstraction all reflect their artistic kinship.
Lee Ungno’s Abstract Letters and a writing painting by Park In-kyung, presented in Artistic Companions in Life, reflect their shared attitude of prioritizing form over meaning. Park In-kyung's recent ink-wash paintings, based on daily observation of nature, resonate with Lee Ungno's People series in how they both cross the boundary between figuration and abstraction.
Although Lee Ungno passed away in 1989, his legacy as a pioneer who expanded the horizons of East Asian painting continues to live on. Park In-kyung, once limited in her practice by the social roles assigned to women and financial difficulties, began actively producing work after his passing. Even in 2025, as she approaches her centennial year, she continues to observe nature and pick up the brush. Their work—interweaving Korea and France, East and West—has long transcended borders. We hope that in Hong Kong, a city where East and West coexist, Artistic Companions in Life will find new resonance.
The opening reception was held on June 5 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, with a guided tour by curator Choi BoYoung from Galerie Vazieux at 7:00 PM. Around 40 art professionals and general visitors attended the opening, exploring the exhibition and engaging in discussions about the artworks.
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