[In-Depth Look] To Preserve the Donation Spirit of the 'Lee Kun-hee Collection'

Ham Hyeri / Journalist · Cultural Critic

When visiting famous foreign art museums to appreciate artworks, I used to pay close attention to the names of donors written next to the titles of the works. In Western countries, which are culturally advanced, the tradition of art donation has long flourished, inheriting the legacy of the Medici family who led the Italian Renaissance. Thanks to this, countless invaluable artworks are enjoyed collectively by many people, which I found truly enviable.

Last month, the family of the late Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Group, announced the donation of 11,023 art pieces?about 23,000 items?collected over two generations by the Samsung family to the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Now, we too have art donations comparable to those of any other country. The estimated value of the ‘Lee Kun-hee Collection’ is roughly between 2.5 trillion and 3 trillion Korean won. Considering that the annual acquisition budget for collections at the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is 8.07 billion won, this donation is equivalent to what these two national institutions would have to diligently collect for 300 years. It is no exaggeration to call this the ‘donation of the century’ and a ‘great legacy.’ Regardless of the circumstances, the Samsung family, by preserving priceless cultural assets and artworks and making them available for the public’s artistic enjoyment, deserves to be praised as the ‘Medici family of Korea.’

In the February 23rd issue of this column, I proposed that part of the inheritance tax owed by the Samsung family be paid in art pieces, and that the government establish a museum for the ‘Lee Kun-hee Collection’ to exhibit the works. It is regrettable that the system allowing payment in kind was not realized this time, which could have fostered an environment where more collectors would happily donate. First, the prejudice that views artworks as a means of tax evasion must be broken, and the introduction of a cultural donation tax incentive system is urgent. Such a system would use tax policy as a tool for cultural development, creating a virtuous cycle. In any case, now that these works have become public assets, we must consider practical measures to preserve them well and properly pass on their value to future generations.

Local governments are actively competing to host the Lee Kun-hee Collection Museum for various reasons and connections, but if the goal is to become a ‘world-class’ museum from the moment it opens, the correct answer is to build it in Seoul. Think about when we travel abroad. It is common to visit the capital city first, and the national art museum there is always a must-visit place. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Gwacheon is already difficult for foreigners to visit, so imagine what it would be like if the museum were located in another city. The answer is clear. Since Seoul represents South Korea to foreigners, dispersing the artworks to regions outside Seoul would be a significant economic loss for the country.

Analyzing the donated works reveals what kind of museum should be established. Of the 1,488 pieces in the ‘Lee Kun-hee Collection’ donated to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, 1,369 are works by 238 Korean modern and contemporary artists, and 119 are works by 8 foreign modern artists. By production period, 320 pieces date up to the 1950s, accounting for 22% of the total donation. Based on the artists’ birth years, works by artists classified as modern constitute 58% (860 pieces) of the total donation. This is why there is a growing movement among cultural and artistic circles to establish a ‘National Museum of Modern Art’ using the Samsung family’s art donation as a catalyst.

In major culturally advanced countries, national museums and art museums are organized by era?ancient, modern, contemporary?with clearly defined roles. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art currently holds a broad collection spanning modern, contemporary, and current periods, resulting in an ambiguous temporal position and a vast, eclectic range of genres. To enhance competitiveness, it is necessary to consolidate the modern works scattered across institutions like the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, add the modern pieces from the Lee Kun-hee Collection, and establish a National Museum of Modern Art. The existing National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art would then focus on contemporary and current art, specializing its functions. This is the way to honor Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s spirit of donation.