• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.172-195
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• 2019

Among the paintings of Goam Lee Ungno (1904-1989), his works of the 1960s in Paris have been evaluated as his most avant-garde works of experimenting with and innovating objects as an artist. At that time, his works, such as Papier Colle and Abstract Letter, were influenced by abstract expressionism and Western Art Informel, illustrating his transformation from a traditional artist into a contemporary artist. An exhibition, which was held prior to his going to Paris in March 1958, has received attention because it exhibited the painting style of his early Informel art. Taking this into consideration, this study was conducted by interpreting his work from two perspectives; first, that his works of 1958 were influenced by abstract expressionism and Art Informel, and, second, that he expressed Xieyi (寫意) as literati painting, focusing on the fact that Lee Ungno first started his career adopting this style. In this paper, I aimed to confirm Lee Ungno's recognition of Art Informel and abstract painting, which can be called abstract expressionism. To achieve this, it was necessary to study Lee's painting theory at that time, so I first considered Hae-gang Kim Gyu-jin whom Lee Ungno began studying painting under, and his paintings during his time in Japan. It was confirmed that in order to escape from stereotypical paintings, deep contemplation of nature while painting was his first important principle. This principle, also known as Xieyi (寫意), lasted until the 1950s. In addition, it is highly probable that he understood the dictionary definition of abstract painting, i.e., the meaning of extracting shapes from nature according to the ideas which became important to him after studying in Japan, rather than the theory of abstract painting realized in Western paintings. Lee Ungno himself also stated that the shape of nature was the basis of abstract painting. In other words, abstractive painting and abstract painting are different concepts and based on this, it is necessary to analyze the paintings of Lee Ungno. Finally, I questioned the view that Lee Ungno's abstract paintings of the 1950s were painted as representative of the Xieyi (寫意) mind of literary art painting. Linking traditional literary art painting theory directly to Lee Ungno, who had been active in other worlds in space and time, may minimize Lee Ungno's individuality and make the distinction between traditional paintings and contemporary paintings obscure. Lee Ungno emphasized Xieyi (寫意) in his paintings; however, this might have been an emphasis signifying a great proposition. This is actually because his works produced in the 1950s, such as Self-Portrait (1956), featured painting styles with boldly distorted forms achieved by strong ink brushwork, a style which Lee Ungno defined as 'North Painting.' This is based on the view that it is necessary to distinguish between Xieyi (寫意) and 'the way of Xieyi (寫意) painting' as an important aspect of literary art painting. Therefore, his paintings need a new interpretation in consideration of the viewpoint that he represented abstract paintings according to his own Xieyi (寫意) way, rather than the view that his paintings were representations of Xieyi (寫意), or rather a succession of traditional paintings in the literary artist's style.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.170-189
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• 2019

Sochi Heo Ryun (小癡 許鍊, 1808-1893) was a literary artist of Chinese paintings of the Southern School during the late Joseon dynasty and the founder of paintings in the literary artist's style of Jindo County in South Jeolla Province. He was also a professional literary artist who acquired both learning and painting techniques under Choui (a Zen priest) and Kim Jeong-hee's teachings. Heo Ryun's landscape paintings were influenced by Kim Jung -hee. However, his ink orchid paintings, which he began producing in his later years, were not related to the 'Ink Orchid Paintings of Chusa (秋史蘭)'. His ink orchid paintings as a whole drew attention as he followed the old methods but still used rough brush strokes . Ordinary orchids were drawn based on Confucian content. However, his Jebal (題跋) and seal (印章) contain not only Confucian characters but also Taoist and Buddhist meanings. Therefore, it is possible to guess his direction of life and his private world of suffering. Ryun's ink orchid paintings reflected a variety of philosophies and aesthetic sensibilities. He went through a process of stylistic change over time and formed an 'Ink Orchid Painted Thought' in later life. The main characteristic of Sochi's ink orchid paintings is that he formed his own special methods for orchid paintings by mimicking the Manuals of Paintings. He drew orchids with his fingers in the beginning. Then, Jeongseop, Lee Ha-eung, Cho Hee-ryong, and others developed an organic relationship with the painting style of ink orchid paintings. Then in later years, orchid paintings reached the point of 'Picture Painted Thought (寫意畵)'. The above consideration shows that ink orchid paintings, which he produced until the end of his life, were the beginning of his mental vision and will to realize the image of a literal artist.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.117-133
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• 2021

The art of the Confucian literati' was mainly centered on literati' painting. Literary paintings combined with poem-writing-painting are based on the literary characters and studies. This is usually based on the technique of Shensi(神似) caused by a hobby accomplishment, enjoying the chinese painting and cherishing with chinese painting. The Confucian literati' cultivated their own character and sublimated humanism to art based on studying. They sought the life of supremacy and supreme gentleness, and enjoyed life on the boundary of pleasure through art. The aim of the Confucian literati' arts lies in the pursuit of expressing the artist's inner world, spirit, and the combination of the Confucian and the Taoism, Because of literati's spirit based on learning, the Confucian literati' arts still exist. The aesthetic of Sunbi Spirit is mainly in the customs of Sunbi, the loyalty of Sunbi, the Silhak(實學) of Sunbi, and loving of the people of Sunbi. We can find honor and loyalty in the Sunbi spirit of the Confucian literati' of the Joseon Dynasty. In addition, it is also possible to observe the loyal troops, the hard work for the country, and the Pung-ryu with nature. In other words, the Sunbi honor, loyalty, loyal troops, pursuit of study and the Pung-ryu show the spirit of the Confucian literati' of Joseon Dynasty. The aesthetic of the Sunbi spirit is in Pung-ryu, loyalty, Silhak, loving of the people etc. The aesthetic of experience of art is mainly based on the aesthetic experience by emotional intelligence and the aesthetic experience according to the individual's inclination. The aesthetic sense actually shows Pung-ryu, loyalty, Silhak and love etc. We can see it in many of our literary paintings. Therefore, the Confucian literati' painting in Chosun Dynasty were the intentionality of the mind and the intentionality of the spare. Furthermore, it has directivity of expressing the artist's inner world, directivity of substance, so it is possible to see that the characteristics of the Sunbi spirit are diverse.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.41
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• pp.445-476
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• 2010

In this essay I aimed to analyze the concept of cultivation in east asian aesthetics. Most people regarded traditional asian paintings as an artwork that was obviously an artwork by artists. Moreover, they emphasized the cultivation of artists in their creation and used to accept the concept of cultivation which means cultivating one's mind. Generally speaking, to cultivate one's mind meant enlarging one's ethical behavior and he or she became a better person. And in creation, it meant considering all things more deeply. In this point of view, it was too vague to notice the meaning. What is an accurate meaning of cultivate artist's mind? What was the relation between creation and cultivation? In confucian philosophy, the concept of cultivation had two meanings. One was to enlarge one's ethical behavior and the other was to improve one's knowledge about things. The knowledge implied all of the one's experiences about things. Thus, the knowledge meant what he communicated with under his surroundings and created. In this perspective, to analyze the case of "Dohwaguenmungi" and "Limchungochi", cultivation was related to 'you(游)' and 'jing(精)'. It implied all of the artist's efforts to make communication with his objects deeper and wider, at last, he created his own meaning about object that he experienced. Therefore, I suggest that when we use the concept of cultivation in the context of creation, it should be used as the meaning related with improving one's knowledge about things.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.50
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• pp.295-318
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to define the 'caligraphy as a modern concept of art. For this purpose, it was necessary to exclude the elements betraying 'the caligraphy as a pure art' in reference to 'autonomy' as an indicator of modernity in order to reflect on the current topology of the caligraphy in our age. Checking the current conditions facing the caligraphy from the pre-modern, modern and post-modern perspectives will clarify the current topology of the caligraphy and further exploring 'the caligraphy as a post-modern art concept. To this end, this study defines the caligraphy 'as a pure formative art' and thereby discusses it in terms of nature and form. In terms of nature, the caligraphy should be subsumed into a spacial art, but it has a nature of a temporal art created and appreciated over time. Hence, among the spacial arts, the painting is most similar to the caligraphy, while among the temporal arts, the caligraphy is most similar to such rhythmic (of high mobility) or performing arts as music and dance. Merely, the painting does not reveal the flow of time on the canvas, while music and dance leave no residual in terms of audibility and visuality. All in all, the caligraphy is sort of 'temporal-spacial art' like dance in that the visible letters express the artist's sense of life on the plane over time like music. In terms of form, this study compares the caligraphy with engraving, wood print and character design to define the caligraphy as a pure art concept. The caligraphy as a modern art concept, namely, the autonomy of the caligraphy is associated with legibility and meaning in addition to the question whether it is an applied or a pure art. The legibility and meaning of the characters are not only the essential elements of the caligraphy but also are the factors limiting its autonomy, which must be a paradox. All in all, the legibility and meaning of the characters must be the key criteria for determining the caligraphy as a practical art or literary art or as a pure figurative art. In this context, this study discusses the caligraphy as a pure art by comparing it with the spatial art 'painting' and the temporal art 'music.' It might be impossible to define the caligraphy or a genre of art as an autonomous art of self-perfection and categorical identity. Moreover, any attempt to define the caligraphy would fail to interpret the caligraphy appropriately. Merely, we are obliged to position the caligraphy in the process of localizing 'their modernity' and thereby, discuss how to respond to their scheme.