MMCA looks upon 50-year history in 'The Square' (2025)

Nalini Malani's "The Tables Have Turned" shows symbolic images that threaten lives of individuals and currently on view as part of "The Square: Part 3 2019" at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul. Courtesy of MMCA

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) initially opened its doors inside Gyeongbok Palace with only four staffers. Fifty years later, the MMCA has since become one of the most prominent contemporary art organizations in Korea with four branches and 8,417 artworks in its collection.

The museum commemorates its 50th anniversary with "The Square: Art and Society in Korea 1900-2019," an exhibition held across three of its branches for the first time.

Youn Bum-mo, director of the MMCA, said Korea's modern history is in the museum.

"This exhibition shows how art dealt with and interpreted Korea's turbulent modern history. While we look into the vast history of the 20th century through art, we also seek a turning point for the next five decades of the MMCA," Youn said.

Park Gi-jeong's "Plum Blossoms in Snow" / Courtesy of MMCA

"The Square: Part 1. 1900-1950" is held at MMCA Deoksugung, a branch focusing on modern art from the early 20th century and where the museum's headquarters was situated from 1973 to 1986.

The year 2019 also marks the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement and the exhibit centers on historical events and figures who played pivotal roles at the turn of the century in shaping Korea's identity.

Curator Kim In-hye said Part 1 shows how art unfolded at this key point in Korean history.

"This is a record of the righteous. Confucian scholars of the Joseon era had three choices ― dwelling in retirement, raising a righteous army or taking their own lives. Painter Chae Yong-shin left many portraits of these patriots, capturing their grit," Kim said.

Another notable genre created by noble class independence activists is "sagunja," or the Four Gracious Plants ― plum, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo.

"Sagunja paintings of those who participated in militia groups are sharp and straight, somewhat resembling guns and swords," Kim said mentioning works of Kim Jin-woo and Park Gi-jeong.

In "Art and Enlightenment," visitors can have a look at how Korea began accepting foreign culture and the works of "Gaehwapa," or the group of reformers who advocated embracing foreign culture.

Rare covers and illustrations of magazines and novels are on view, giving a peek into the history of publication in the country and how artists contributed to instill national consciousness.

Artist Jang Min-seung created the 23-minute video installation "Untitled" as a tribute to those who participated in the March 1 Movement.

"Many of the works on display here are featured in history, literature and art textbooks. This exhibit provides an opportunity to have a look at the artists we should know, but didn't," Kim said.

Installation view of "The Square: Part 2. 1950-2019" at MMCA Gwacheon / Courtesy of MMCA

The exhibit continues in "The Square: Part 2. 1950-2019" at the MMCA Gwacheon. The museum's largest branch shows how artists reflect and interpret society based on seven subcategories inspired by Choi In-hun's 1961 novel "The Square."

"The exhibition reveals the organic relationship between the Square and the Private Chamber," curator Kang Soo-jung said.

Opening with Ah Jung-ju's intense video "Ten Single Shots," the exhibit delves into the tragedies woven into Korean society and history, starting from the April 3 Jeju Massacre in 1948 and the 1950-53 Korean war in the "Blackened Sun" section.

Korea's modern art history cannot be completed without Kim Whan-ki and "Where in What Form, Shall We Meet Again" (1970) ― one of his most famous pieces ― is on display with a moon jar and a celadon vase from Kim's collection in the "One Path" section.

In "Gray Caves," the exhibit shows how state-led development after the 1970s influenced sociocultural changes through objects such as Lee Keun-moon's design for the Saemaul Movement stamps. It was also when Korea's prominent "Dansaekhwa" (monochrome) movement started and Park Seo-bo, Ha Chong-hyun and Yun Hyong-keun's works are on view.

The relations of democratization movements and art are discussed in "Painful Sparks," which features Choi Byung-soo's famous banner painting "Save Han-yeol."

From the 1990s, artists became conscious of postmodernism as the country dealt with labor and environmental issues. With the rise of globalization and neo-liberalism, Korean art became more international with artists exploring themes of migration and minorities, shown in Im Heung-soon's "Factory Complex."

Shinseungback Kimyonghun's "Mind" / Courtesy of MMCA

"The Square: Part. 3 2019" concentrates on the artists and issues of now at the MMCA Seoul. Curator Lee Sa-bin said it throws questions on what community is and how people should live in a diverse society.

"In these days, we have to co-exist with people of different generations and genders and even refugees. Parts 1 and 2 are directly related to Korea's history and consist of Korean artists, but Part 3 is more about community, so we included some foreign artists," Lee explained.

Japanese photographer Yokomizo Shizuka's "Stranger" series explores relationships with strangers, while Joo Hwang's "Departure" series captures expected roles and images of women in Korean society.

Song Seong-jin's "One Pyeong House Between Tides" looks into the lives of refugees and immigrants, inspired by the artist's visit to the Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh.

Shinseungback Kimyonghun presents "Mind," an interactive artwork that collects the facial expressions of visitors and transforms them into the shape and sound of waves.

The exhibition goes beyond the gallery space by inviting seven writers to compose short stories on the theme of a public square.