[KS] KT: [Museums - (18)] Woljun Teaches Traditional Oriental Philosophies

Frank M. Tedesco tedesco at uriel.net
Thu Jul 16 11:50:50 EDT 1998


>               [Museums in Korea - (18)] Woljun
>               Teaches Traditional Oriental
>               Philosophies                                 [Image] [Ima=
ge]
>               [Image]
>               07/15(=BC=F6) 15:02
> =

>               By Kim Mi-hui
> =

>               Staff Reporter
> =

>               Most art museums focus on holding exhibitions and various=
 art
>               related activities. But not Woljun Art Museum. The museum=

>               distinctly concentrates on helping artists in other ways
>               besides showing their work.
> =

>               Established in 1991 by Jang Woo-sung, who goes by the pen=

>               name Woljun, the museum defines itself with two special
>               programs: teaching Oriental theory and giving out awards =
to
>               the artists who practice the theories.
> =

>               ``Today's art focuses too much on the theories of the Wes=
t.
>               That's great to an extent, but if we don't practice our o=
wn
>               art philosophies, who will?'' asks Jang.
> =

>               And so the museum was built and the classes arranged. The=

>               lectures conducted by the highly acclaimed guest speakers=

>               from the best universities in Seoul, emphasize various
>               aspects of Orientalism such as art, religion, philosophy =
and
>               theories.
> =

>               At first, very few seemed interested in the ``outdated''
>               teachings, but this year more than 100 interested student=
s
>               and artists applied for one of the 30 available seats. ``=
That
>               shows how much our reputation has grown,'' Jang observes.=

> =

>               Strict qualifications limit the number of candidates. The=

>               applicant must be a graduate of an art university, must h=
ave
>               studied Oriental art, not Western or sculpture, and he or=
 she
>               must have some background in Oriental art theory.
> =

>               Because so few can attend their lectures, Jang records,
>               transcribes and publishes the speeches and distributes th=
em
>               free of charge for educative purposes. ``The response has=

>               been great. Some even use them as text books because it f=
ills
>               the gap in our art studies these days that emphasize only=
 the
>               modern,'' Jang notes.
> =

>               The second program is awarding great artists who practice=

>               these thoughts. The award is given every other year and t=
he
>               prize money comes straight out of Jang's own pocket _ lik=
e
>               everything else including the lectures and museum managem=
ent.
> =

>               ``Because we don't hold exhibitions very often, we don't =
have
>               much money. Everything we do, I pay for myself,'' Jang
>               explains with a hint of pride. His expression darkened,
>               however, saying, ``But what we are doing is like walking =
a
>               night dressed in satin clothes. You know you are wearing
>               something valuable but nobody can see it and appreciate i=
t.''
> =

>               But if anyone is immune to the tyrannical lust for fame, =
it
>               is Jang who has built over 70 years of quiet artistic glo=
ry
>               to his 84-year-old life.
> =

>               Jang, is the first son in a family of two sons and five
>               daughters. ``My father and grandfather were both scholars=
 and
>               expected me to become a writer or a famous calligrapher, =
but
>               I was always drawing and painting instead,'' Jang remembe=
rs.
>               His pen name, Woljun, was given to him about this time by=
 his
>               father from ``wol'' meaning the moon for which Jang had a=

>               fascination and``jun'' taken from ``Sajun,'' the name of =
the
>               place he grew up.
> =

>               When he was 19, Jang began studying Oriental painting at
>               ``Nakchonghon,'' an art school run by Kim Eun-ho and
>               calligraphy at ``Sangsuhoe,'' an institute run by Kim
>               Dong-hee despite his family's opposition. He also learned=

>               Chinese characters at the Yukyo Chinese Character Institu=
te.
> =

>               After one year under Kim's instruction, Jang surprised
>               everybody by winning a prize at the 11th Choson Art
>               Exhibition with his work ``the Beach'' making his debut a=
s a
>               painter. The glory was repeated when he won another prize=

>               this time with a calligraphic work, at the 12th Joint
>               Exhibitions of Calligraph and Painting.
> =

>               Winning prizes both in calligraphy and painting pleased h=
is
>               father. ``He wrote me a letter exhorting me to work harde=
r
>               and warning me against self-complacency. That was his way=
 of
>               expressing approval,'' Jang recalls, smiling.
> =

>               Thus began his career encompassing small and large tides =
of
>               successes and achievements. He became a professor of art =
at
>               Seoul National University in 1946, led a national art
>               movement for the restoration of the purity of Korean
>               paintings by cleansing Japanese elements all through the =
40's
>               and the 50's, served as a war painter in 1951 and establi=
shed
>               a Korean art museum in 1963.
> =

>               He also received a number of awards including the ones th=
e
>               Choson Art Exhibition gave him year after year _ he took =
the
>               1st place prize at the 20th exhibition _ as well as a num=
ber
>               of honors like being nominated to serve on the Executive
>               Committee of the National Art Exhibition.
> =

>               Surprisingly, Jang has held only held 16 solo exhibitions=

>               throughout his long career. One of which was an exhibitio=
n in
>               Paris at the invitation of the French government which
>               selected two of his works exhibited there, ``Scarlet Apri=
cot
>               Blossoms'' and ``Stones,'' for preservation at the French=

>               Culture Ministry.
> =

>               ``You should only have an exhibition if you really have
>               something to show. When you have had the time to think,
>               produce and have perfected a certain theory or philosophy=
 of
>               the mind,'' Jang insists. Frequent exhibitions by artists=

>               these days are often disappointing because they have no
>               content, Jang adds.
> =

>               Jang's most recent solo exhibition was the ``Life's Work =
of
>               Woljun'' held at the Ho-Am Art Museum in 1994, when the
>               artist was 80-years-old. The exhibited works were made in=
to a
>               book titled ``Panryongsanin Art Collection.'' The title h=
as a
>               personal significance for Jang.
> =

>               The story goes back to the death of Jang's grandmother wh=
en
>               his family lived in Tanyang, Chungchong-pukto. ``A repute=
d
>               geomancer named Chong Sang-yong told my grandmother's fam=
ily
>               that if she was buried in this particular spot, they woul=
d
>               produce a prominent artist or calligrapher 20 years later=
=2E''
>               The area surrounding the grave in question, Jang explaine=
d,
>               had the shape of a dragon with the rocky mountain in the
>               foreground acting as the cintamani or crystal ball held i=
n
>               the dragon's mouth.
> =

>               ``Panryong'' means a dragon which has not yet ascended to=
 the
>               heavens, ``san'' a mountain, and ``in'' a person. Jang ha=
s
>               faith in Chong's theory, and he often uses the name
>               ``panryongsanin'' in reference to himself.
> =

>               Indeed, Jang's artistic genius is not denied by anyone wh=
o
>               has seen his work. For example, after Jang's first solo
>               exhibition at the gallery of Donghwa Department Store in
>               1950, Kim Hwanki, a renowned artist himself, wrote the
>               following comment in a newspaper article:
> =

>               ``I've seen few artists better than Jang at handling the
>               delicate white drawing paper and the unwieldy brushes. Su=
ch a
>               skill takes more than talent to master. He must have put =
in
>               an enormous amount of time and energy for practice.''
> =

>               Sitting in his office surrounded by a courtyard of bamboo=

>               trees which he planted himself, Jang seems to be satisfie=
d
>               with the way his museum grasps all his thoughts concernin=
g
>               art. ``Simplification over gaudy, nature over artificial,=

>               teaching rather than showing are the rules I abide by whe=
n
>               painting, and I want my museum to be the center where peo=
ple
>               learn the same principles,'' Jang says sincerely.
> =

>               The museum (02-732-3777), located in Samchong-dong near C=
hong
>               Wa Dae, is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 =
p.m.
>               at which time Jang's works and his private collection of
>               Chinese bronze sculptures can be viewed.
> =

>            ------------------------------------------------------------=
--------
>                            (C) COPYRIGHT 1998 THE HANKOOKILBO
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/14_6/9807/t4651283.htm

-- =



Frank Tedesco, Ph.D.
Occasional lecturer, University of Maryland
Assistant Professor
Sejong University
98 Kunjadong, Kwangjin-gu
Seoul 143-747 KOREA
Tel/fax: 82-2-997-3954
E-mail: tedesco at uriel.net

"Life is a terminal disease, and it's sexually transmitted."
John Cleese, the Buddhist.


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