HONG KONG — June 5, 2025 — Galerie Vazieux, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong, proudly presents “Lee Ungno and Park In-kyung: A Journey of Artistic Lives”, a commemorative exhibition celebrating the 120th anniversary of the birth of Goam Lee Ungno (1904–1989) and the 100th anniversary of artist Park In-kyung (b. 1926).

The exhibition runs from Thursday, June 5 through Saturday, August 2, 2025, and takes place on the 6th and 7th floors of the Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong. An opening ceremony will be held on June 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition is organized by Galerie Vazieux and the Korean Cultural Center, with curation by Choi Bo-young. It is also an official satellite exhibition of Art Basel Hong Kong 2025.

Titled “Lee Ungno and Park Inkyung: Companionship of Artistic Life”, the exhibition presents a unique dialogue between two monumental figures in Korean modern art. It features approximately 30 works by Lee Ungno, dating from the 1960s to the 1980s, alongside 20 recent abstract ink paintings by Park In-kyung. While the artists maintained distinct individual styles, the juxtaposition of their works reveals a shared artistic philosophy forged through decades of personal and creative companionship.

Lee Ungno and Park In-kyung first met in 1949, held a joint exhibition in Germany in 1958, and relocated to France in 1959. The pair believed in blending traditional East Asian painting with contemporary Western art, paving the way for a uniquely Korean abstraction. Although each pursued their path as accomplished and independent artists, their works reflect a deep commonality — a reverence for nature, an exploration of the visual form of written language, full pictorial spaces without margins, and a subtle tension between figuration and abstraction.

The exhibition also focuses on their experiments with abstract script. Both Lee’s and Park’s letter-like forms emphasize visual structure over literal meaning, drawing viewers into the expressive power of calligraphic abstraction. Park’s recent abstract ink paintings, inspired by daily sketches, echo the spirit of Lee’s iconic People Series, in their ability to hover between the figurative and the abstract.

Though Lee Ungno passed away in 1989, his artistic spirit continues to shape the dialogue between Eastern and Western art. Meanwhile, Park In-kyung, who faced significant limitations as a female artist in the mid-20th century, began her full-time artistic practice following Lee’s death. In 2025, at the age of 100, she remains an active artist, faithfully observing the rhythms of nature and capturing them with brush in hand.

This exhibition is not just a celebration of two individual legacies — it is a testament to a shared vision, a lifelong partnership in creativity, and the enduring relevance of Korean abstraction on the global stage.

Sayart / Maria Kim sayart2022@gmail.com