Master of Monochrome Abstraction Jung Sang-hwa Dies at 93
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Jung Sang-hwa, a leading figure of Korea’s first generation of abstract painters, died at 93. Known for his unique 'remove-and-fill' technique, he repeatedly tore and reworked painted canvases to create grid-like monochrome abstractions, a process that could take up to a year per work. Born in 1932 in Yeongdeok, Jung studied at Seoul National University, exhibited internationally (including the Paris and São Paulo biennales), and lived and worked in France and Japan before returning to Korea. He refused to use assistants and saw his method as inimitable, believing his works carried his "veins and pulse." In 2015 one of his paintings sold for over 114 million won, placing him among living Korean artists with works valued above 1 billion won (the "10억원 클럽"). A major retrospective was held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in 2021. His funeral is at Seoul National University Hospital with the service on Jan. 30.
