RISE FROM THE ASHES: South Korean Sumuk Painting

RISE FROM THE ASHES

Exhibition of artists from South Korea from June 24 - July 5, 2025 at Nothburga Gallery under the direction of Lee Seungmi, Director of Shinan-gun Art.

60 years ago, South Korea was an economic wasteland. Today, South Korea is not only the 11th largest economic power, but has also developed into a vibrant democracy and emerging cultural force.

In this spirit of optimism, WOO YONG MIN, HYE-KYUNG AN, LEE JI-YEONG and SOOHOON LEE have developed an independent and individual visual language. The artists stand in the field of tension between traditional Sumuk painting and individual artistic expression and create their own creative world.

WOO YONG MIN

His painting is characterized by powerful brushwork and spontaneity.

In rhythmic dynamics, he creates landscapes that fascinate with their liveliness and looseness. Brightness and darkness - light and shadow balance each other out and combine to form a harmonious unity.

Sumuk on hanji paper (ink drawing on handmade mulberry paper)

HYE-KYUNG AN

In her sumuk drawings, she succeeds in depicting the characteristics of each person with just a few brushstrokes.

In her painting, she develops her own distinctive style that deviates from traditional sumuk painting and depicts nature in a colorful and original way.

LEE JI-YEONG

She is a master of sumuk drawing and painting. Inspired by nature, she creates sensitive poetic landscape paintings that harmoniously and vividly reflect a world full of magic and grace.

SOOHOON LEE

The young artist Soohoon Lee has been living in Vienna since 2019 and embodies the colorful world of a modern South Korea in his art. The work “Keyring Tower” symbolizes an accumulation of his countless thoughts and memories. For him, it is not just an object, but a mirror of his inner self and a compass that guides his path.