Despite uncertainties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, I was fortunately able to travel to Seoul for three weeks to conduct research for my master’s thesis. It had been four years since I last visited Korea, but it was my first time going for the sole purpose of research. While the landscape of Seoul felt familiar, the destinations I went to were all new and exciting. Thanks to the generous support of the Korea Institute, I not only collected valuable primary and secondary source materials for my thesis, but I also had the opportunity to meet with important individuals in the field who helped support the direction of my research.
My thesis investigates the life and work of Kim Hyang-an (1916-2004), the wife of painter Kim Whanki (or Kim Hwan-gi, 1913-1974), one of the early generations of Korean abstract artists who is celebrated as the “Picasso of Korea.” Having lived in Seoul, Paris, and New York, she supported Kim Whanki throughout his career as his wife, muse, and manager. She was also formerly the wife of poet and writer Yi Sang (1910-1937), who died tragically during the same year they got married. While she is primarily known as the spouse of two famed figures, Kim Hyang-an was, more importantly, a published writer, artist, critic, and founder of the Whanki Museum. She had two solo exhibitions of her oil paintings in 1977 at Poindexter Gallery, New York and in 1988 at Won Gallery, Seoul. In my thesis, I aim to reconceptualize the role of the “artist’s wife” while also assessing the contributions of an understudied figure to the development of modern Korean art at large.
During my stay in Seoul, I visited the Whanki Museum, which held its 30th anniversary exhibition from April to July, 2022. A large-scale photographic reproduction of Kim Whanki and Kim Hyang-an greets visitors at the entry of the main exhibition hall, adjacent to an installation of Kim Hyang-an’s diaries in a glass case. While photographs were not permitted inside the galleries, I took note of the distinct architecture, reading snippets of Kim Hyang-an’s writings that complemented the tranquil aura of Kim Whanki’s paintings. The Whanki Museum was designed by architect Kyu Sung Woo, a name that is familiar to many in the Harvard community.[1] It was a pleasure to get to see the artworks within a beautifully curated space, nestled in a quiet neighborhood in the north of Seoul. The curator kindly spoke to me about Kim Hyang-an and directed me to other sources, including access to catalogs, books, and other publications in the museum shop. I also participated in a guided tour of the exhibition.
Apart from the Whanki Museum, I visited several other institutions, including the National Library of Korea, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), and the Kim Daljin Art Archive. With the attentive assistance of the staff at each institution, I was able to gather additional materials, including newspaper clippings, journal articles, and photographs. My time in Seoul also coincided with the opening of an exhibition at Gallery Hyundai, which featured works by Kim Whanki and his close colleagues, Han Yong-jin and Moon Mi-ae. Lastly, I had the opportunity to meet with MMCA curator Dr. Inhye Kim, who offered stimulating insights and wrote a newspaper article on Kim Hyang-an following our conversation.[2]
These experiences over the summer played an indispensable role in facilitating my thesis research, as well as giving me the confidence to continue pursuing my passion for Korean art. I would like to thank my professors and the Korea Institute for allowing me this opportunity and supporting my academic and professional goals.
[1] Mr. Woo received his Master of Architecture in Urban Design (1970) at Harvard. Among other projects in Korea and the U.S., he designed 10 Akron Street, a Harvard residential building.
[2] Our encounter is briefly mentioned in the opening of the article.
