Master Korean artist Ha Chong-hyun has opened a long-awaited art center dedicated to his work in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, marking a significant milestone in the 90-year-old artist's distinguished career. The 2,967 square-meter Ha Chong-Hyun Art Center, located along Jayu-ro (Freedom Road) near the Korean border, is set to begin private viewings on September 1st, showcasing approximately 50 paintings and archival materials that span the artist's remarkable journey from the 1960s to the present.
The choice of Paju as the location carries deep symbolic meaning for the renowned Dansaekhwa master. "The symbolism of Paju as the city in a militarized border region was one of the reasons for choosing Paju. The political and social circumstances after the Korean War inspired the artist's early works," explained Ha Yoon, director of the Ha Chong-Hyun Art Foundation and the artist's son, during a press tour on Friday. While the foundation had considered establishing the center in Seoul, finding adequate space in the capital city proved challenging, leading them to this location approximately 35 kilometers from Seoul.
The art center occupies a converted building that previously served as a book repository and office space for Mimesis publication company. The Ha Chong-Hyun Art Foundation acquired the building in 2022 and transformed it into a dedicated art space, taking advantage of its high ceilings and spacious layout. Upon entering the center, visitors are immediately greeted by monumental paintings from Ha's Conjunction series, which he developed from the mid-2010s, creating a powerful first impression of his artistic evolution.
Ha Chong-hyun is internationally recognized as a master of Dansaekhwa, the Korean monochrome art movement that emerged in the 1960s and is characterized by repetition, meditation, and the exploration of materiality through meditative processes. The artist revolutionized traditional painting techniques by developing his unique "bae-ap-beop" method, literally meaning "back-pressure technique." This innovative approach involves using canvases made of hemp cloth and pushing thick layers of paint from the back side of the burlap canvas until the paint seeps through to the front surface.
The inspiration for this groundbreaking technique came from Ha's post-war experiences. As the artist told The Korea Herald in 2020, he conceived the idea for his painting process after the Korean War (1950-1953) when he spotted burlap sacks containing rice for the military in Seoul. During that economically challenging period, traditional canvas was too expensive for most artists to purchase, leading Ha to explore alternative materials and methods that would eventually define his artistic legacy.
The second gallery space presents Ha's Informel works from the 1960s and early 1970s, featuring thick layers of dark colors that reflect his emotional response to the trauma and aftermath of the Korean War. These powerful works demonstrate the artist's early exploration of abstract expressionism and his processing of the collective national experience. Accompanying these artworks are valuable archival materials, including photographs showing Ha with his contemporaries such as internationally acclaimed artists Paik Nam-june, Lee U-fan, and Park Seo-bo, offering visitors insight into the vibrant artistic community of that era.
As a leading member of the Korean Avant Garde Association, which was established in 1969 and remained active until 1975, Ha experimented extensively with various artistic genres including objects, installations, and conceptual art. The second floor of the center displays artworks created during this experimental period, showcasing Ha's versatility and willingness to push artistic boundaries. Notably, Ha incorporated materials associated with violence, such as barbed wire, to create works that served as symbolic criticism and silent resistance against the military regime that controlled South Korea during the 1970s.
The exhibition journey continues with Ha's Conjunction works, which fully embrace the Dansaekhwa aesthetic through his signature bae-ap-beop technique, before concluding with his Post-Conjunction paintings that he began creating in 2010. These later works represent an evolution of his established technique, expanding upon the bae-ap-beop method to explore vibrant colors and innovative forms that often incorporate wooden elements or mirror sticks, demonstrating the artist's continued innovation well into his later years.
"My father had always dreamed of a place in the form of an art center or museum," Director Ha Yoon revealed. "Although the foundation still lacks sufficient staff, once the conditions are right, we plan to open it to the public regularly and discuss the possibility of transitioning into a museum." For now, the foundation will operate the space on a reservation basis for private viewings beginning September 1st, allowing for intimate encounters with Ha's extensive body of work.
The opening of the art center will coincide with the 14th Ha Chong-Hyun Art Prize ceremony, scheduled to take place at 3 PM on September 1st, according to Kukje Gallery, which represents the distinguished artist. This timing underscores the significance of the art center's launch not only for Ha Chong-hyun's legacy but also for the broader Korean art community, as the prize continues to support and recognize emerging artistic talent in the country.
