kandinsky

Kandinsky, Other Russian Masterpieces in Seoul

Vassily Kandinsky's ``Blue Crest'' is one of the paintings included in the ``Kandinsky and Russian Masterpieces'' exhibition at the Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul. By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The richness of Russian art and culture may be unknown among many Koreans, but the new exhibition ``Kandinsky and Russian Masterpieces'' is hoping to change that. Ninety-one works by prominent Russian artists such as Vassily Kandinsky, Kazimir Malevich, Natalia Goncharova and Ilya Repin are currently on display at the Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul Arts Center complex, southern Seoul. Two of Russia's most prominent galleries, the State Russian Museum and the Tretyakov Gallery, lent the works for the exhibition that covers 19th century to early 20th century Russian art, the first of its kind in Korea. It runs through Feb. 27. In an interview with The Korea Times, Tretyakov Museum deputy director Lidia Iobleva said it took three years to prepare for this exhibition since they had to decide which works would be able to travel to Seoul. Seoul National University professor Park Jong-so said, in the exhibition catalogue, that Russian paintings of the late 19th century are ``the culmination of the art of realism which depicts 'social reality just as it is.''' ``Korea will be able to see how 'art as an active force of social participation' (one of the essential characteristics of Russian art) manifests itself in the territory of high art, meet the questions of what is life and what is truth, and bump into those souls of art who are struggling to find the answers to these questions,'' Park said. The first part of the exhibition focuses on 19th century realism. If the lighting in the room seems a bit dark, it is done intentionally to create the appropriate conditions for viewing the portraits of famous writers and musicians. Russian painters chose to do portraits depicting the person as they were, with no attempt to beautify them. Among the works displayed are, Repin's portraits of authors Leo Tolstoy (``L.N. Tolstoy at Rest in the Forest'') and Ivan Turgenev; Nikolai Kuznetsov's portrait of composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky; and Vasily Perov's portrait of writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky. There are also historical, landscape and scenery paintings. Ivan Aivazovsky's ``Storm'' depicts chaotic seas in the middle of a storm, while Vasily Perov's ``Drowned Woman'' shows a soldier smoking while a dead woman lies in front of him. ``Oral Counting (in the S.A. Rachinsky public school)'' by Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky depicts a group of young boys studying in class. In ``Oral Counting (in the S.A. Rachinsky public school),'' Nikolai Bogdanov-Belsky perfectly captures the confused look of young boys studying arithmetic in class. Firs Zhuravlyov's ``Before the wedding ceremony'' depicts a distraught bride who is about to marry an older man. In the 20th century, the experimental and avant-garde Russian movement emerged, as artists moved away from western European influences. The leading figure of this movement is Kandinsky, known as one of the first and greatest pioneers of pure abstract art. Four of his works, ``Blue Crest,'' ``Composition #223,'' ``River in Autumn,'' and ``Summer Landscape,'' are displayed in a separate room. Other notable works from this period are Goncharova's ``Hoar Frost'' and ``Larionov's Tree,'' and Malevich's ``Cow and Violin.'' Ivan Karlov, deputy director of the Russian Museum, said it is very hard to decide which of the works are the best or most important. ``It is difficult to choose because for me, all of them are the best. These works are like children to me,'' he told The Korea Times. Tickets are 12,000 won for adults, 9,000 won for 12 year olds to 17 year olds, and 7,000 won for children between 6 year olds to 11 year olds. The museum is closed on the last Monday of every month. Seoul Arts Center is a 10-minute walk from Nambu Bus Terminal subway station (Line 3, Exit 4 or 5). Local buses are also available. Visit www.2007kandinsky.com or call Seoul Arts Center (02) 525-3321. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr