Artist Se Seo-ok's family donates over 3,200 artworks to Seongbuk-gu

Promotion of Building an Art Museum to Honor the Spirit Donated by Artist Se Seo-ok

Sanjeong Seo Se-ok, Dancing People, 1989, Ink on Korean paper, 163.5x259cm (Photo courtesy of Seongbuk-gu Art Museum)

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dong-hyun] Over 3,200 works by the late Sanjeong Seo Se-ok, a master of Korean ink wash abstraction, have been donated to Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.

Seongbuk-gu announced on the 12th that it held a signing ceremony at the district office with the family of artist Seo Se-ok for the donation of his works and collection. The main points of the agreement include ▲ the free donation of over 3,290 works and collections by Seo Se-ok ▲ regulations for the contracting parties ▲ acceptance based on the Seongbuk-gu Art Museum ordinance ▲ and matters related to promoting the establishment of an art museum to honor the value of artist Seo Se-ok.

Artist Seo Se-ok lived in the Seongbuk area for over 60 years and made significant contributions to the development of local culture and arts. The ‘Seongbuk Scholarship Association,’ started in 1978 centered around Seo Se-ok, is a group where local artists sold their works to create scholarship funds for the region, and it continues to this day.

Seo Se-ok also promoted the establishment of the Seongbuk-gu Art Museum, the first registered art museum opened by a local government in 2009, and served as its honorary director, playing many important roles. Since its opening, the Seongbuk-gu Art Museum has become an advanced example of a local art museum and will house and manage all the works donated this time.

The over 3,290 donated works include not only Seo Se-ok’s own works but also the collections he gathered throughout his life. Seo Se-ok’s works comprise about 2,300 pieces covering his entire artistic world, including 450 major figurative and abstract paintings, drawings, seal carvings, and manuscripts. Additionally, the collection includes about 990 pieces of works by artists who carry on the legacy of Korean art, such as Geomjae Jeong Seon, Chusa Kim Jeong-hui, Sojeong Byeon Gwan-sik, Sojeon Son Jae-hyung, and Geunwon Kim Yong-jun, allowing a perspective on Seo Se-ok as a collector.

Seongbuk-gu plans to promote the establishment of an art museum following the signing ceremony. The museum is expected to become the only mecca where Seo Se-ok’s artistic world can be appreciated and studied. Detailed discussions regarding the museum’s construction will be pursued in the future.

Born in 1929, Seo Se-ok left a gem-like legacy in the history of modern and contemporary Korean art and established the core of Korean art as an educator. Seo Se-ok’s surviving family includes his wife Jeong Min-ja and two sons. The eldest son is Seo Do-ho, a world-renowned installation artist, and the second son is Seo Eul-ho, a distinguished architect. Except for Seo Do-ho, who resides in London, the family attended the signing ceremony, with Seo Do-ho participating via video call.

Lee Seung-ro, mayor of Seongbuk-gu, stated, "This agreement is meaningful for both Seongbuk-gu and the family of Seo Se-ok," adding, "We will promote the establishment of the art museum to build an important art and cultural landmark in Seongbuk-gu."