Annual Support of 10 Million Won for Three Years
Jongkundang Holdings announced on April 21 that it held the "Jongkundang Art Prize 2025 Artist of the Year Certificate Award Ceremony" and selected three artists?Heejae Lim, Gisub Cho, and R1 Ji?as this year's Artists of the Year.
From the left, artist Heejae Lim, Jongkundang Holdings CEO Heenam Choi, artist R1 Ji, and artist Gisub Cho. Jongkundang Holdings
This year's selected artists received high praise for introducing new discourses to the contemporary art scene through their unique perspectives and painterly languages. The selection process involved two rounds of closed-door evaluations by a panel of art experts. The final three were chosen from among painters under the age of 45, based on a comprehensive assessment of originality and artistic potential. Each selected artist will receive annual creative support funds of 10 million won for three years, and in the final year of support, they will also have the opportunity to present their creative achievements in a curated exhibition.
Artist Heejae Lim explores the dilemmas of human possessiveness and representation through paintings of taxidermied animals, focusing on the act of observing them through glass barriers. Artist Gisub Cho creates a sense of spatial depth on the canvas by layering memories and emotions experienced in nature, using silver powder as a material. Artist R1 Ji employs graffiti, a form of street culture, to address phenomena arising from cultural, political, and social conflicts and clashes.
Gisub Cho stated, "Being selected for the Jongkundang Art Prize is an opportunity that could become a turning point in my work," adding, "I will not shy away from creative challenges and new attempts, and will continue to deepen the artistic direction I have developed so far."
Heenam Choi, CEO of Jongkundang Holdings, said, "This year's selected artists have established distinctive artistic worlds and are expected to play a pivotal role in the development of contemporary art," adding, "Jongkundang Art Prize will continue to take the lead in expanding the base of Korean contemporary painting and revitalizing the creative ecosystem."
The Jongkundang Art Prize is a cultural and artistic social contribution program established in 2012 by Jongkundang Holdings, the Korea Mecenat Association, and the alternative space Artspace Hue, based on the proposal of Chairman Janghan Lee to help emerging artists freely express their creative capabilities. To date, the program has discovered and supported a total of 42 artists.
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