[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Forty-three genre paintings sketched by artist Kim Ki-chang during his world travels in 1981 have been submitted to the K Auction Weekly Online Auction.
The Weekly Online Auction is organized by K Auction to expand the base of art auctions and provide art enthusiasts with opportunities to encounter special and interesting works. This Weekly Online Auction features a total of about 160 pieces, valued at over 130 million KRW.
The 43 works by artist Kim Ki-chang depict scenes, people, and cultures he observed and felt while traveling through 18 countries worldwide?including Europe, Africa, and North and South America?over 66 days from June 10 to August 14, 1981. These works were serialized in the JoongAng Ilbo under the title "World Brush Travelogue" and were also published in 1983 as a limited edition of 1,000 copies in the "World Brush Travelogue" art collection. The world tour was accompanied by the late reporter Lee Kyu-il of JoongAng Ilbo, who was well connected in the art world at the time.
According to reporter Lee Kyu-il, the work "On the Nile River" was created as Unbo and Lee took a boat upstream on the Nile, visiting sites of ancient civilization and sketching various scenes of the river. The painting "Impression of Egypt," depicting a young man riding a camel, is said to have been followed by the young man approaching Unbo after the sketch was finished, demanding a modeling fee. The piece "Dutch Windmill," showing a large windmill next to the Rembrandt statue in the Netherlands, reportedly made Unbo express regret that there was only one windmill, making the painting feel lonely. "Gailang-er Valley" best showcases Unbo’s oriental painting style among the genre sketches, and "In London," depicting the landmark clock tower, was also produced as a print. "Memories of Greece" portrays the Poseidon temple, dedicated to the god of the sea, built 2,500 years ago, now only remaining with white marble columns. While sketching the Poseidon temple, which carries a sad story, Unbo is said to have remarked, "This painting must evoke a lonely feeling," adding a moon and applying a lot of blue color.
Kim Ki-chang 'Impression of Egypt', 1981, Ink and light color on paper, pen, 50×60 cm Photo by K Auction
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The auction runs until the 3rd, and the submitted works can be viewed free of charge at the K Auction Weekly Online exclusive exhibition hall (annex) in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu. The exhibition hall is open daily from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM, regardless of weekdays or weekends. Bidding is available 24 hours until the deadline on the 3rd after registering as a member and verifying identity on the K Auction website. The auction closes sequentially starting at 4 PM on the 3rd.
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