Selection
ULTRA-MARINE 2402
Kim Tschoon-Su2025.05.07 ~ 2025.07.31
Description of the work
- Media Oil on canvas
- Location SIGNIEL BUSAN Lobby
Over the past four decades, Kim Tschoon-Su has persistently explored the infinite spectrum of ultramarine. Yet to describe this color simply as "blue" would be insufficient. It resides somewhere between black and indigo, sky and sea, earth and cosmos—a hue that escapes verbal definition. Like a fleeting moment of sunlight shimmering across the ocean, Kim’s canvases transport viewers into another dimension.
Drawing from the sacred connotations of ultramarine once used in religious iconography, the artist uses this pigment to visualize the density of life and the stillness of the inner self—sensations that defy language. Rather than brushes or knives, Kim employs his fingertips to press the pigment directly onto the canvas, creating a meditative rhythm of touch. From a distance, the work may appear as a monochromatic surface, but upon closer inspection, subtle variations in pressure and pigment density reveal a serene, spiritual topography.
Rooted in the philosophy of Korea’s first-generation Dansaekhwa artists, Kim’s practice honors their legacy while also forging a unique path. His ascetic process and uncompromising devotion to a single hue open new possibilities for painting today. Before his canvases of profound ultramarine, viewers are invited to project their own emotions and reflections—experiencing a quiet yet powerful visual resonance.
Artwork Inquiry : 1533-8017
Drawing from the sacred connotations of ultramarine once used in religious iconography, the artist uses this pigment to visualize the density of life and the stillness of the inner self—sensations that defy language. Rather than brushes or knives, Kim employs his fingertips to press the pigment directly onto the canvas, creating a meditative rhythm of touch. From a distance, the work may appear as a monochromatic surface, but upon closer inspection, subtle variations in pressure and pigment density reveal a serene, spiritual topography.
Rooted in the philosophy of Korea’s first-generation Dansaekhwa artists, Kim’s practice honors their legacy while also forging a unique path. His ascetic process and uncompromising devotion to a single hue open new possibilities for painting today. Before his canvases of profound ultramarine, viewers are invited to project their own emotions and reflections—experiencing a quiet yet powerful visual resonance.
Artwork Inquiry : 1533-8017
About the author
Born in 1957, Kim Tschoon-Su studied painting at Seoul National University and California State University. A leading figure in Korean post-Dansaekhwa, he is best known for his Ultramarine series—an enduring exploration of the color blue.
In 2012, Kim took part in the landmark Dansaekhwa exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, alongside Park Seo-Bo, Lee Ufan, and Chung Sang-Hwa. He is represented by Leeahn Gallery and has exhibited extensively in Korea and abroad.
Kim received the 3rd Total Art Prize and represented Korea at the 23rd São Paulo Biennale. From 1996 to 2022, he has been a professor of Western Painting at Seoul National University.
His works are part of major collections including MMCA, Seoul Museum of Art, Samsung Museum of Art, Seongkok Art Museum, and the Embassy of Korea in Germany.
In 2012, Kim took part in the landmark Dansaekhwa exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, alongside Park Seo-Bo, Lee Ufan, and Chung Sang-Hwa. He is represented by Leeahn Gallery and has exhibited extensively in Korea and abroad.
Kim received the 3rd Total Art Prize and represented Korea at the 23rd São Paulo Biennale. From 1996 to 2022, he has been a professor of Western Painting at Seoul National University.
His works are part of major collections including MMCA, Seoul Museum of Art, Samsung Museum of Art, Seongkok Art Museum, and the Embassy of Korea in Germany.
Kim Tschoon-Su (1957 ~, Korea)
M.F.A., Graduate School of California State University, Los Angeles
M.F.A., Graduate School of Seoul National University
B.F.A., College of Fine Arts, Seoul National University
M.F.A., Graduate School of Seoul National University
B.F.A., College of Fine Arts, Seoul National University
