A World of Paintings: On the Lee Kun-hee Collection

WHY VISIT

This exhibition begins with 36 works from the Lee Kun-hee Collection, donated to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) and regional art museums in 2021, as well as pieces from the Leeum Museum of Art. To deepen the understanding of each artist’s world, it also includes 24 additional works borrowed from public and private institutions including the Seoul Museum of Art, various public and private galleries, and personal collections. Based on the concepts of landscape, color, and materiality, the exhibition is organized under three major themes: 'Forms, Scenes, and Nature', 'Color Comes Alive', and 'When Creation Is Performed Through Matter' The title, A World Beyond the Canvas, is inspired by Korean modernist painter Lee In-sung’s metaphor for painting as a “separate world that reflects the aesthetic consciousness of the artist.” It encapsulates the artists’ pursuit of an ultimate world they sought to reach through their art.