DMA - DAEJEON MUSEUM OF ART

Lee Donghoon is an artist who was in the midst of Korea’s modern and contemporary art as he went through the crucial period of Japanese colonial rule and the following turbulent modern age of Korea. Before 1945, when Korea was liberated from the Japanese colonial rule, he became a teacher at Daejeon Technical High School and settled down in Daejeon. He usually made paintings of bucolic scenery in the countryside, and made an effort to educate the upcoming generation of artists. Thus, to honor Lee Donghoon, who committed himself to his art world and educating young artists, the “Lee Donghoon Art Award” was established in 2003 by his followers.
As an artist and educator who represented Daejeon and the Chungnam areas, Lee’s achievements have been uated as high in the history of Korean modern and contemporary art, and his contribution to the development of Daejeon art has also been recognized as supreme. These days, this award program, marking the 17th anniversary of its establishment this year, is increasing its reputation as a program representing Korea. ‘The Steering Committee of Lee Donghoon Art Award’ and ‘Joongdo Ilbo’ are sponsoring the award, and the Judging Committee of the award is selecting the winners for the main award and the special award: The main award is given to an elder artist who has contributed significantly to Korean art and has accomplished significant achievements, and the special award is given to an artist in their 40s or 50s who has worked actively based in the Daejeon or Chungcheong area. The purpose and meaning of this award program has been expanding in Korea, including the city of Daejeon, as it has discovered and supported artists who have fiercely sought their art world during turbulent times. In addition, as it gives a chance for the winners to exhibit their pieces in a museum spotlight, it is recognized as a very meaningful award program that shows the true reason of the existence of an art award.

Min composes a canvas from a tense and distorted perspective, as if taking an aerial photograph on an airplane, and contrasts primary colors boldly. In addition, he crosses over the borders between spaces, worlds, and dimensions. He is creating unique contemporary paintings. And he hides s symbolizing the desires of modern people and the traces of daily life in his work. These s are things that we can see during leisure activities and at travel destinations ― things that people want to enjoy in pursuit of their own lives: fishing, camping, surfing, a motorcycle, sports car, canoe, yacht, beer, and a carpenter’s cabin.
Persons do not appear in the spaces Min creates in his imagination. However, we can spot s and places that look like people have used slightly before in unexpected corners. These s and places for daily use are mixed confusedly with items that people usually use in a resting place where people dream to go to but can’t. Min interprets people’s conflicts and anguish through s that symbolize their dreams and desires at the same time from his own contemplative view.

Min Songsik is a young artist who was born in Daejeon and graduated from the Department of Fine Arts at Hannam University and the graduate school of the same university. Based in Daejeon, he has made paintings for long in his own unique style. Recently, he began receiving attention as he was selected as a promising young artist by the Daejeon Museum of Art and the Busan Museum of Art. For his work, he picks up s that urbanites desire to possess and describes them in a striking contrast of colors from a bold perspective.