Back to Lists

Artists in Focus
Artists in Focus 1987, Brochure, 1987, MMCA Art Research Center Collection

Artists in Focus

  • naver
  • kakao
  • facebook
  • twitter
Artists in Focus was the title of a series of exhibition held by Seoul Museum from 1982 through 1989. In November 1981, the Seoul Museum opened on the first floor of the former Belgium Embassy in Gugi-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The art critic Kim Yoon-Soo served as its first director. The Seoul Museum had organized exhibitions focusing on the discovery of young artists, including the inaugural exhibition featuring Kwun Suncheol. The exhibition period for each invited artist was limited to one month. Starting in 1982, the museum curated the Artists in Focus exhibitions by selecting most promising artists from the previous year. The purpose of the exhibition was to “sort out the confusion of the value order caused by the rush of exhibitions, various international art trends, and the rampant commercialism.” The principle for selecting artists was to choose “the most notable and outstanding artists, regardless of field or tendency, from among those who created and showed their works in the previous year.” There were eleven notable artists under the age of forty from the year 1981, who were recommended by eleven art critics. They were Kim Kyoungin, Kim Yongmin, Kim Jangsup, Kim Jungheun, Kim Taeho, Noh Jaeseung, Shim Jungsoo, Lee Chungwoon, Lim Oksang, Chung Kyungyeun, and Choi Wook-kyung. They submitted three works each, and the exhibition was held in January 1982. For the 1982 edition, twelve art critics nominated one artist each. The recommended artists were Shin San-ok, Rim Songja, Kim Yongik, Shin Hakchul, Rhee Chulryang, Kang Hajin, Noh Wonhee, Ahn Byeongseok, Kim Kwansoo, Kim Inwhan, and Min Joungki. The exhibition was held in January 1983. The works by Shin Hakchul, the winner of the ’82 Artist Award, selected by art journalists, were exhibited separately. The 1983 artists in focus were Kang Daechul, Kwon Yonghyeon, Son Sangki, Ahn Changhong, Yoon Miran, Lim Oksang, Jung Bocsu, Jo Sanghyeon, Ji Seokcheol, and Chun Junyeup. The 1984 artists in focus were Kang Myonghi, Hwang Jaihyoung, and Lee Hongwon. The purpose of organizing the exhibition was shifted to “focusing on the selection of artists or groups who have outstandingly captured the life and zeitgeist of the period over the past year in their works.” The artists selected in1985 were Kim Gwangjin, Park Buldong, Lee Chulsoo, Jin Youngsun, and Hong Soonmo. The artists in focus in 1986 were Hwang Changbae, Ahn Kyuchul, Lee Jonggu, Ryu Hurial, Lee Heungduk, Choi Suewha, Yeo Un, Min Joungki, Song Chang, and Lee Sukju. In 1987, Kim Hongjoo and the small group Meta-Vox were selected as notable artists. The 1988 artists in focus were Kim Jiwon, Park Mun-Jong, Son Kihwan, Lee Myoungbok, Bae Hyungkyung, Lim Youngsun, Park Jaedong, Photo Collective for Social Movement [Sahoe sajin yeonguso], and Women's Art Research Society [Yeoseong misul yeonguhoe]. After the month-long ’88 Artists in Focus held in February 1989, no more exhibitions were further held. Artists in Focus curated by the Seoul Museum coincided with the peak of Minjung art in the 1980s, but not all notable artists selected for Artists in Focus were Minjung artists. It was an exhibition of “notable artists” who succeeded in capturing the zeitgeist and generated a lot of buzz, as a “notable exhibition,” among artists.
* Source: MMCA

Related

Find More