Across the Decades: Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the National Academy of Arts, Republic of Korea

From 4 July to 23 August 2024, The Korean Cultural Centre UK will present ‘Across the Decades - Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the National Academy of Arts, Republic of Korea’.

For the past 70 years, The National Academy of Arts (NAA), Republic of Korea has celebrated the works and insights of master artists. As the most prestigious art and culture association in Korea the Academy presently boasts seventy-one academicians (with a maximum membership of 100) spanning six divisions: Literature, Fine Art, Music, Theatre, Film, and Dance.

The exhibition ‘Across the Decades’ retraces the remarkable contributions of renowned masters who have significantly advanced modern and contemporary arts and culture in Korea since the founding of the NAA in 1954.

The exhibition commemorates the 70th anniversary of the opening of the NAA and features 26 works from 17 luminaries from the NAA’s Art Division. The showcased artists include: Jongsang Lee (b.1938), Kyungja Chun (1924-2015), Se-ok Suh (1929-2020) representing Korean painting;

Myeungro Youn (b.1936), Heeyoung Yoo (b.1940), Kwangjin Park (b.1935), Souckchin Kim (b.1931), Sanghwa Chung (b.1932) and Whanki Kim (1913-1974) who epitomise Western painting;

Loijin Jeun (b.1929), Jongtae Choi (b.1932), Taijung Um (b.1938), Euisoon Choi (b.1934), masters of sculpture;

Shinja Lee (b.1931) and Chankyun Kang (b.1938) masters of crafts;

Seungjoong Yoon (b.1937), an authority on architecture and Changryun Kwon (1943-2024) a specialist in calligraphy.

Through 26 pieces of works by 17 renowned artists, this exhibition highlights the essence of modern and contemporary Korean art, capturing the spirit of master artists who endeavoured to overcome the rapidly changing socio-political landscape of Korea in the 20th and 21st centuries. With their unwavering dedication to the creative process, the exhibition celebrates how the NAA’s academicians have not only paved unforeseen paths in Korean arts but also contributed significantly to the rapid development of Korean culture.