A groundbreaking exhibition at Pace Gallery in Seoul is exploring the profound artistic connection between two abstract masters from different continents. "The Language of Abstraction, The Universe of Emotion" brings together works by Korean abstract pioneer Kim Whanki (1913-1974) and American abstract expressionist Adolph Gottlieb (1903-1974), highlighting a remarkable cross-cultural artistic relationship that began in the 1960s.
The story of their connection traces back to a pivotal moment in 1963, when Kim Whanki, already an established artist in Korea at age 50, encountered Gottlieb's paintings at the São Paulo Art Biennial. This encounter left such a profound impression on Kim that it partly motivated his decision to move to New York later that same year. The experience marked the beginning of what would become a transformative period in Kim's artistic journey and sparked an enduring bond between the two abstract masters.
Once in New York, Kim immersed himself completely in the city's vibrant and dynamic art scene. According to Pace Gallery, this period saw Kim "gradually eliminate figurative reference from his work, refining his language into dots, lines and planes." The Whanki Museum describes this era as the time when "his search for the essence of nature evolved into a most pristine and complete form of abstraction." This artistic evolution would ultimately lead to some of Kim's most celebrated and valuable works.
The dual exhibition focuses specifically on works created during the 1960s and 1970s, spanning Kim's transformative years in New York. This period culminated in masterpieces like "Universe 05-IV-71 200," a monumental blue-dot painting from 1971. While this particular work is not included in the current exhibition, it made history in November 2019 when it sold for approximately $11.3 million at a Christie's Hong Kong auction, becoming the most expensive Korean painting ever sold at that time.
Kim's celebrated Dot Paintings series, completed during his New York years, played a crucial role in introducing Korean Modernism to the global art stage. Pace Gallery emphasizes that these works represented a significant milestone in establishing Korean contemporary art within the international art world. The series demonstrated how Korean artistic sensibilities could find universal expression through abstract forms.
The artistic kinship between Kim and Gottlieb appears to have emerged from their shared commitment to abstraction and their mutual quest for universal expression that could transcend cultural boundaries. While the full extent of their personal friendship remains undocumented in art historical records, Kim's personal journal entries suggest that the two artists maintained contact throughout the years. In one particularly touching entry, Kim expressed his relief upon hearing Gottlieb's voice after learning that the American artist had fallen ill, according to gallery documentation.
The current exhibition, organized through a collaboration between the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation and the Whanki Foundation, presents a carefully curated selection of sixteen paintings total. Visitors can view ten paintings by Kim Whanki on the gallery's second floor, while six paintings by Gottlieb are displayed on the third floor, creating a dialogue between the two artists' distinct yet complementary approaches to abstraction.
Among Gottlieb's featured works is the impressive large-scale painting "Expanding" from 1962, which belongs to his signature Burst series. These iconic works are characterized by their distinctive composition pairing a hovering circular form in the upper portion with energetic, expressive brushwork below. Gottlieb, recognized as a key figure in American Abstract Expressionism, developed this series as part of his exploration of cosmic and universal themes.
"The Language of Abstraction, The Universe of Emotion" is scheduled to open to the public on Friday and will remain on view through January 10 of next year. The exhibition offers art enthusiasts and scholars a rare opportunity to examine the artistic dialogue between East and West through the lens of two masters who found common ground in their pursuit of abstract expression and universal artistic language.
