443 Works Including Those by the Late Writer Choi Man-rin and 2,095 Materials Donated Free of Charge to Seongbuk-gu

Seongbuk-gu Holds 'Artwork Donation Agreement Ceremony' with Late Choi Man-rin's Family... A Significant Posthumous Donation for Expanding Collections and Developing Seongbuk-gu Art Museum Annex, 'Seongbuk-gu Choi Man-rin Art Museum,' Opened Last Year

Tae 84-2, 1984, bronze, 115x48x119cm

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) and the family of the late Choi Man-rin have signed an agreement for the donation of the late Choi Man-rin’s works and materials.

The signing ceremony, held on the 10th at the Seongbuk-gu Office Mayor’s Office, was attended by the late Choi Man-rin’s family, Mayor Lee Seung-ro of Seongbuk-gu, Lee Geon-wang CEO of Seongbuk Cultural Foundation, and Kim Bora Director of Seongbuk Art Museum. The late Choi Man-rin’s family and Seongbuk-gu Office, as the contracting parties, signed the agreement for the donation.

The main contents of the agreement include ▲ the free donation of 443 works by the late Choi Man-rin and 2,095 related materials ▲ provisions for the contracting parties ▲ acceptance of the donation in accordance with the Seongbuk Art Museum ordinance ▲ and matters concerning the utilization of the donated works for the development of the Seongbuk-gu Choi Man-rin Art Museum.

The late artist Choi Man-rin had previously donated 126 of his most essential works to Seongbuk-gu free of charge during his lifetime.

To facilitate this, Seongbuk-gu purchased and remodeled the artist’s residence in Jeongneung, where most of his major works were created, and opened the Seongbuk Art Museum annex, the “Seongbuk-gu Choi Man-rin Art Museum,” in August last year.

Following the artist’s passing shortly after the museum’s opening, the Seongbuk-gu Choi Man-rin Art Museum has become a symbolic place to honor the artist.

Therefore, this donation by the family is a meaningful contribution that carries forward the artist’s will to ensure the continuous development of the Choi Man-rin Art Museum.

Choi Asa, the eldest son of the late Choi Man-rin and representative of the family in the agreement, stated, “We judged that allowing more people to enjoy the works is the most desirable way to honor an artist’s life, so we donated works encompassing the artistic world of the late Choi Man-rin, from his early pieces to his most recent works.”

The late Choi Man-rin lived in Seongbuk-gu for over 55 years and made significant contributions to the development of local culture and arts. He contributed to the establishment and development of the Seongbuk Art Museum, the first public art museum in the district, donated his works during his lifetime, and arranged for Seongbuk-gu to purchase his residence.

As a result, the Seongbuk-gu Choi Man-rin Art Museum is regarded as an exemplary museum that utilizes local assets with distinctive characteristics. Additionally, the museum’s public recognition of the value of converting an artist’s residence into a public space earned it the 2020 Korea Public Architecture Award.

The 443 works being donated this time include many late-period sculptures and drawings, which the artist valued highly but were lacking in previous donations, making this a meaningful contribution that equips the artist’s museum with key works from different periods for growth.

Furthermore, the donated materials include 52 models (maquettes) by the late Choi Man-rin, a pioneer of public sculpture, and an extensive archive of 2,043 items that the artist organized and collected throughout his life, expected to serve as an important foundation for research institutions dealing with the artist and modern and contemporary Korean sculpture.

Born in 1935, the late Choi Man-rin left a gem-like legacy in the history of modern and contemporary Korean art and was a central figure in Korean art as an educator.

The late Choi Man-rin’s family includes his wife, the voice actress Kim So-won, and their children. Their eldest son, Choi Asa, is a professor in the Department of Architectural Design at Kaywon University of Art and Design, and their daughter, Choi Aran, is a theater actress. He is also related by marriage to the actor Choi Bul-am.

Mayor Lee Seung-ro said, “This agreement is meaningful for both Seongbuk-gu and the family of the late Choi Man-rin. We will strive for the continuous development of the Choi Man-rin Art Museum and grow it into a world-class artist museum.” He expressed deep gratitude to the family for donating the works and reaffirmed his passion for establishing and preserving the value of modern and contemporary artists in the Seongbuk area.

On May 12, Seongbuk-gu held a donation agreement ceremony with the family of the late Seo Se-ok, a major local artist, and is currently promoting the construction of a museum. The district continues to create meaningful precedents for preserving and utilizing important local artistic assets.