Asian Art Resource Room

The Ultimate Abstraction in Korean Aesthetics

Monochrome painting is an abstract painting style that appeared in Korea in the 1970s. It is characterized by the repetition of forms derived from the textures of materials, and canvas covered in even-toned single colors. Monochrome painting, a genre of contemporary Asian art, drew attention in Japan during its early stages in its relation to European and American minimal art. It was appraised as a uniquely Korean style of abstract painting that was linked to Eastern philosophy in terms of its persuasion of unification with nature; in addition, it involved rejecting the artist’s subjectivity and devoting the self to repetitive labors, and traditional art styles, such as Joseon white porcelain. It gained popularity in the international art market after the 2010s. Representative artists include Park Seobo, Yun Hyongkeun, Chung Sanghwa, and Kim Tschang-yeul.