Hakgojae pursues art with Korean roots
This is the third in a 10-part series on prominent art galleries in Korea. – Ed
Seeing the graceful Korean style roof and the contrasting modern interior of Hakgojae Gallery in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, one gets a feeling that there is something special about the gallery.
This hunch is confirmed upon learning the meaning of the word Hakgojae -- studying the old, creating the new.
The gallery started out in 1988 as a gallery exclusively for Korean antique art.
The concept of the gallery came to Woo Chan-kyu, the founder and president of the gallery, naturally, as he had an interest in old Korean art ever since he attended “seodang,” or traditional village schools, instead of going to high school and college.
It was not 17-year-old Woo’s intent to attend seodang but rather the decision was based on financial reasons. Woo, however, soon found the education he received there very attractive and now believes that his seodang days gave him the power and luck that will last for his lifetime.
“Studying Chinese letters was so much fun. I memorized almost every book I learned. And as I came and went out of my teachers’ houses, I got to see many old artworks in their houses and grew interested in them. I learned how to analyze them and identify their authenticity,” said Woo.
His knowledge of Chinese letters and old Korean paintings is well-known in the art field. But his passion for repatriating Korea’s artworks that were taken out of the country is more widely known.
He visits Japan about 10 to 15 times a year, whenever he hears the news that an important Korean antique painting has turned up in the market. He picks them up without hesitation but is very particular when selling them. In fact, he recently surprised the public by refusing to sell some Joseon-period paintings to individual collectors at a recent exhibition.
“The number of our old art is already too small, compared to those of Japan or China. If individual collectors take them, they will only become more and more rare. I wanted public museums to buy them so that more people and scholars could view them,” said Woo.
Hakgojae is not just all about Korean antique artworks. It also holds shows on famous contemporary artists on one condition: Their works should be based on traditional roots.
Woo said that Lim Choong-sub, the Korean artist whose exhibition is underway at the gallery through May 30, is one such artist.
“Lim’s works are very conceptual and contemporary but based on the understanding of Korean traditional culture, like Neo-Confucianism. This kind of artist and this kind of exhibition fits in at Hakgojae,” said Woo.
“The content of the exhibition determines the worth of a gallery. It should exhibit creations that can represent the era. Hakgojae will showcase works by world-famous masters who focus on the mentality and fundamental problems of art. Exhibiting art that simply focuses on amusement is a waste of time.”
With that concept, Hakgojae is expanding.
Woo opened a publishing business under the same name in 1991, as an effort to lift the overall standard of Korean art sector.
“Running a gallery, I recognized the need to raise the standard of gallery owners and collectors, so that we could treat art of high standards. Publishing books seemed to be the first step,” said Woo.
In 2013, the gallery will be moving into a bigger place in Buam-dong, also in Seoul, so it can exhibit larger contemporary artworks. Woo has already secured a site there.
“Professor Choi Wuk, a veteran architect who designed the current Hakgojae Gallery, will be in charge of the design again for the Buam-dong gallery. The basic concept of the new gallery will be same as this one; coexistence of traditions and modern,” said Woo.
For details about Lim Choong-sup’s exhibition or Hakgojae Gallery, call (02) 739-4937 or visit www.hakgojae.com.
By Park Min-young (claire@heraldm.com)
Seeing the graceful Korean style roof and the contrasting modern interior of Hakgojae Gallery in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, one gets a feeling that there is something special about the gallery.
This hunch is confirmed upon learning the meaning of the word Hakgojae -- studying the old, creating the new.
The gallery started out in 1988 as a gallery exclusively for Korean antique art.
The concept of the gallery came to Woo Chan-kyu, the founder and president of the gallery, naturally, as he had an interest in old Korean art ever since he attended “seodang,” or traditional village schools, instead of going to high school and college.
It was not 17-year-old Woo’s intent to attend seodang but rather the decision was based on financial reasons. Woo, however, soon found the education he received there very attractive and now believes that his seodang days gave him the power and luck that will last for his lifetime.
“Studying Chinese letters was so much fun. I memorized almost every book I learned. And as I came and went out of my teachers’ houses, I got to see many old artworks in their houses and grew interested in them. I learned how to analyze them and identify their authenticity,” said Woo.
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| Hakgojae Gallery president Woo Chan-kyu poses at the Lim Choong-sub exhibition currently underway. Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald |
He visits Japan about 10 to 15 times a year, whenever he hears the news that an important Korean antique painting has turned up in the market. He picks them up without hesitation but is very particular when selling them. In fact, he recently surprised the public by refusing to sell some Joseon-period paintings to individual collectors at a recent exhibition.
“The number of our old art is already too small, compared to those of Japan or China. If individual collectors take them, they will only become more and more rare. I wanted public museums to buy them so that more people and scholars could view them,” said Woo.
Hakgojae is not just all about Korean antique artworks. It also holds shows on famous contemporary artists on one condition: Their works should be based on traditional roots.
Woo said that Lim Choong-sub, the Korean artist whose exhibition is underway at the gallery through May 30, is one such artist.
“Lim’s works are very conceptual and contemporary but based on the understanding of Korean traditional culture, like Neo-Confucianism. This kind of artist and this kind of exhibition fits in at Hakgojae,” said Woo.
“The content of the exhibition determines the worth of a gallery. It should exhibit creations that can represent the era. Hakgojae will showcase works by world-famous masters who focus on the mentality and fundamental problems of art. Exhibiting art that simply focuses on amusement is a waste of time.”
With that concept, Hakgojae is expanding.
Woo opened a publishing business under the same name in 1991, as an effort to lift the overall standard of Korean art sector.
“Running a gallery, I recognized the need to raise the standard of gallery owners and collectors, so that we could treat art of high standards. Publishing books seemed to be the first step,” said Woo.
In 2013, the gallery will be moving into a bigger place in Buam-dong, also in Seoul, so it can exhibit larger contemporary artworks. Woo has already secured a site there.
“Professor Choi Wuk, a veteran architect who designed the current Hakgojae Gallery, will be in charge of the design again for the Buam-dong gallery. The basic concept of the new gallery will be same as this one; coexistence of traditions and modern,” said Woo.
For details about Lim Choong-sup’s exhibition or Hakgojae Gallery, call (02) 739-4937 or visit www.hakgojae.com.
By Park Min-young (claire@heraldm.com)
