Kim Chong Hak: Seoraksan Painter
- Atlanta will soon be enveloped in the quiet grandeur of Mount Seorak, not through travel, but through the immersive artistry of Kim Chong Hak.
- Mountains, throughout history, have served as both physical and spiritual repositories of human experience.
- Displaced from his home during the Korean War, he eventually found a sense of belonging in Seoraksan in 1979, dedicating himself to portraying its ever-changing character.
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Finding Sanctuary in Stone and Bloom: Kim Chong Hak’s Seoraksan at the High Museum
Atlanta will soon be enveloped in the quiet grandeur of Mount Seorak, not through travel, but through the immersive artistry of Kim Chong Hak. The High Museum of Art will host Kim Chong Hak, Painter of Seoraksan, the artist’s first major US museum survey, opening April 11, 2025, and running through November 2nd. This isn’t simply a landscape exhibition; it’s a deeply personal exploration of place, memory, and the enduring power of the natural world.
Mountains, throughout history, have served as both physical and spiritual repositories of human experience. From ancient cave paintings to the canvases of masters like Alexandre calame and Katsushika Hokusai, they’ve beckoned artists to capture their majesty and mystery. kim Chong Hak continues this tradition, focusing his decades-long practice on Mount Seorak, the largest peak of the Taebaek Mountain range in Korea. his work feels particularly resonant in our current moment, a time when seeking solace and connection to something larger than ourselves is paramount.
Kim’s own story is woven into the fabric of his art. Displaced from his home during the Korean War, he eventually found a sense of belonging in Seoraksan in 1979, dedicating himself to portraying its ever-changing character. The resulting body of work is remarkable for its duality – a quietude that invites contemplation alongside a vibrant energy that reflects the mountain’s dynamic ecosystem. Expect to be enveloped by large-scale landscapes, richly detailed with native forest flowers and the graceful sprawl of kudzu. A centerpiece of the exhibition is Pandemonium (2018), a four-panel work that physically surrounds the viewer, mirroring the way the mountain’s forests rise and curve around its peaks.
The exhibition thoughtfully avoids a strict chronological presentation. instead, it’s organized around the seasons – spring, summer, autumn, and winter – mirroring the artist’s own dedicated practice of painting each season *in* that season. This structure isn’t merely aesthetic; it underscores