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Afro-Southeast Asia Archive
(1947 - ) African American Writers in Southeast Asia Archive Excerpt from “A Weekend with Richard Wright Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) The Asian and Pacific Council (ASPAC) (1966-1973) Contemporary Korean Art exhibition (1960-1961)
The Malaysia Mission vs. Maphilindo Diosdado Macapagal’s Foreign Diplomacy Robert Kennedy’s trip to the Far East (1964) Newsreels from Sabah
 



Contemporary Korean Art exhibition (1960-1961)




Contemporary Korean Art exhibition (1960-1961)

The exhibition begins with a series of travel logs written by “Oriental-style” painter Kim Yeong-gi for the widely circulated newspaper Kyunghyang sinmun during his trip around Southeast Asia in the early 1960s. With the support of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Korean Artist’s Southeast Asia Visiting Party led by Kim was formed in 1960 to oversee the touring of Contemporary Korean Art exhibition through Taiwan, Hong Kong, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam between 1960 and 1961. Kim Yeong-gi’s essays shed light on the significance of this largely forgotten exhibition, recorded as one of the Republic of Korea’s earliest cross-cultural exchanges with Southeast Asia. Consisting of 138 works by fifty-five artists ranging from “Oriental-style” painting, “Western-style” painting, sculpture, calligraphy, prints, photography, and design, the exhibition sought to represent aspects of Koreanness, and define Asian identity through art. The reproduced archives help situate To A Faraway Friend within the extended history of exhibition-making.

Reproduction of newspaper article “Fine art specialists here to display Korean Paintings”
The Singapore Free Press
14 January 1961
Courtesy of the National Library Singapore
Microfilm Reel NL2544


This newspaper report of the exhibition Contemporary Korean Art’s travel to Singapore notes that the exhibition of 150 paintings by Korean artists from 15 art organizations was led by Kim Choung Kang, a specialist in Korean painting. He stated to the press: “The influence of China and Japan before the war, and the influence of America and Europe after the last war make the ‘modern Korean fine arts’.”

He was accompanied by Kim Kyung Seung, a sculptor; Kwon Nyung Hyu, a designer; Lee Wan Suk, a commercial artist; and Kim Soon Yun, an oil painter. The exhibition was part of a two-month tour in Southeast Asia sponsored by UNESCO and the Korean Embassy. The visit to Singapore had been in part arranged by the local Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Reproduction of newspaper article “Notes from here and there on Malayan arts and letters”
The Straits Times
30 January 1961
Courtesy of the National Library Singapore
Microfilm Reel NL12117



This news report notes that the five Korean artists traveled to Kuala Lumpur (KL) after Singapore. The report notes that their Southeast Asian trip was to “muster support for a regional association of artists.” In KL, they met with the Thai sculptor Khien Yimsri at the house of Frank Sullivan. Sullivan was the Australian Press Secretary to Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman and an important figure in the local art scene.

Reproduction of newspaper article “Korean contemporary art works shown until May 13”
Manila Times
24 April 1962
Courtesy of the Purita Kalaw Ledesma Archive

Reproduction of exhibition photograph
The Philippines Herald
24 April 1962
Courtesy of the Purita Kalaw Ledesma Archive


A separate traveling exhibition of Korean art was presented in the Philippines in 1962 at the Philamlife building. Sponsored by the Art Association of the Philippine (AAP) and the Korean Embassy, the exhibition presented 38 Korean art works, which included paintings, calligraphy, folding screens, sculpture, and a print. The newspaper article highlights Torment by Kim Soo and Le Hurlement by Kwon Ok Yun as some of the internationally award-winning pieces of Korean art included in the exhibition. It also notes that Kim Se Chong  and Kim Chong Yong had entries in London’s International Sculpture Competition.

Perhaps in reference to the 1960 exhibition Contemporary Korean Art, the article notes that this was “the first major contemporary Korean art collection to be shown in the Philippines” and that there has been “a lesser Korean art exhibition” that took place in the National Museum on Herran two years prior.

The exhibition was the result of an invitation from the AAP as part of its annual art exhibit at the Northern Motors showroom. This was not unusual for the arts organization which sought to internationalize the Philippine art scene by creating stronger regional ties and cultural exchange. In 1957, AAP, as part of its annual art exhibition, organized the first art exhibition of Southeast Asia.