Held at Gallery 1898 in Myeongdong, Seoul
October 17?26
The first calligraphy exhibition by calligrapher Dongcheon Lee (age 60), titled "Cheonsang Unjip" (千祥雲集), will be held at Gallery 1898 in Myeongdong, Seoul, from October 17 to October 26. "Cheonsang Unjip," meaning "A gathering of good fortune," will showcase 52 unique calligraphy works created based on the artist's discerning eye, developed over 30 years of uncovering authentic masterpieces hidden among forgeries.
Artist Lee Dongcheon held a press conference on the 16th at Gallery 1898 in Myeongdong, Seoul, explaining his first calligraphy exhibition "Cheonsang Unjip" (千祥雲集). Photo by the artist
At a press conference held on October 16, Lee stated, "This is my first solo exhibition in my 50-year calligraphy career. Although it feels quite late, I am filled with mixed emotions, but I am doing it properly." He emphasized, "The core of the changes in my calligraphy style stems from my confidence in 'Jeonbeon Pilbeop' (轉飜筆法), which is the 'eye for authenticity' I developed while distinguishing between forgeries and genuine works."
The exhibition will unveil 52 works featuring the artist's original calligraphy styles, reimagined through the study of brush techniques used by masters such as Wang Xizhi from the Eastern Jin dynasty in China. Notably, visitors can see "Dongcheon Lee's Unique Thousand Character Classic," completed in 1995, "Ichigo Ichie," written in a script he invented, and "Daedo Moomoon," which applies the calligraphy style from the Diamond Sutra at Mount Tai in China. The exhibition also includes Korean works such as "Have Strength and Courage" and "When Spring Blossoms Come."
Lee also revealed research findings that had a decisive impact on his calligraphy philosophy. He discovered that the so-called "gungche," a style of Korean calligraphy often dismissed as light because it was used by palace women, actually incorporates the "Jeonbeon Pilbeop" techniques passed down from masters like Wang Xizhi. He explained that gungche is not just about the font but embodies profound brush techniques involving rotation and changes in the brush's surface.
Citing the calligraphy on the Sungnyemun signboard as an example, he pointed out that traditional calligraphy education focuses on pressing and lifting the brush vertically, failing to capture the "penetration" and "rotation" techniques used by the great masters. He explained that his in-depth understanding of these techniques enabled him to develop his own unique style, which embodies the theory of symmetry as the essence of calligraphy, as proposed by Chinese calligrapher Cai Yong-expressing the forms and energies of yin and yang, the order of nature, in the characters themselves.
Although Lee was renowned for his cursive script since his first year of high school, he explained that he did not hold a solo exhibition for a long time because he was busy studying and mastering all styles of calligraphy. He added, "Now that I have reached the age of sixty, I am happy to finally present my work properly."
Known as the calligraphy teacher of senior priest Ham Se-woong, Lee earned his Ph.D. in connoisseurship at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in China in 1999 and studied art authentication under Chinese expert Yang Renkai. In 2001, he established Korea's first department of art authentication at Myongji University and published "New Calligraphy" (2023), which analyzes the brush techniques of calligraphy masters from Wang Xizhi to Chusa Kim Jeong-hui.
In 2008, Lee claimed that the "Gyesang Jeonggeo-do" (溪上靜居圖) by Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, depicted on the back of the 1,000-won bill, was a forgery. In 2016, he raised suspicions that "New Delhi," a work by artist Chun Kyung-ja exhibited at the Seoul Museum of Art, was also a forgery.
From 2004 to 2019, Lee taught art authentication theory at the graduate school of Seoul National University. He is currently a special overseas researcher at the Liaoning Provincial Museum in China and serves as the director of the Cultural Heritage Appraisal Research Institute.
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