Foreword by Hyun-Sook Lee. Texts by Yoon Jim Sup, Alexandra Munroe, Sam Bardaouil, and Till Fellrath

Published to coincide with the historic exhibition The Art of Dansaekhwa at Kukje Gallery, this catalog is a comprehensive introduction to one of the late 20th century\s most compelling art movements. Emerging in Korea in the early 1970s Dansaekhwa can be loosely translated as (the School of White) and is often compared to monochrome painting. It is distinguished by a unique combination of influences ranging from Taoism and Confucianism to Informel and is contemporaneous with Monoha. Characterized by highly refined mark making techniques and the use of indigenous materials like mulberry paper, Dansaekhwa is celebrated for its formal ingenuity and subtlety. This emphasis on beauty underlies the radical vision of its artists who were politicized by the turmoil in post-war Korea, protesting Western influence, industrialization, and the military dictatorship then in power. The tension between its basis in historical activism and profound aesthetic philosophy is what continues to make Dansaekhwa such an important period for study and its sophisticated approaches to painting continue to shape debate today. Lesser known in international art history, this catalog is a timely corrective for a movement that is gaining renewed focus.

This catalog documents the work of Chung Chang-Sup, Chung Sang-Hwa, Ha Chong-Hyun, Kim Giuline, Lee Ufan, Park Seo-Bo, and Yun Hyong-Keun—the seven artists who spearheaded the Dansaekhwa movement in the 1970s—and contains comprehensive essays by the curator Yoon Jin Sup as well as scholars Alexandra Munroe, Sam Bardaouil, and Till Fellrath.