Kim Tschang-Yeul

Place: Mungyeong

Born: 1929

Death: 2021

Biography:

Kim Tschang-yeul, a renowned South Korean artist, is best known for his abstract paintings of water droplets. Born in 1929, he formed part of the Modern Artists' Association (현대미술가협회) and joined the Art Informel movement of the 1950s and 60s.

Early Life and Art Education

Kim Tschang-yeul was born in Maengsan County, Heian'nan-dō, Korea. From a young age, he learned calligraphy from his grandfather, which later greatly impacted his artworks. He also received sketching lessons from his maternal uncle and decided to pursue a career as an artist. After being arrested for possession of an anti-communist pamphlet, Kim fled to Seoul and lived in a refugee camp for a year. Kim Tschang-yeul's art education was marked by various private painting studios, including Gyeongseong Painting Studio (Gyeongseong Misul Yeon-guso) and Seongbuk Painting Studio (Seongbuk Hoehwa Yeon-guso). He also enrolled in the College of Fine Arts, Seoul National University, but the onset of the Korean War put a stop to his formal art education.

Post-war Activities and Art Informel

As a result of the Korean War, Kim lost his sister and suffered from economic hardship. He volunteered into the police force in 1951 and continued to work as a policeman until 1961. During this time, he was able to indirectly experience contemporary European Art Informel movement through Japanese painting albums, magazines, and art books. Kim Tschang-yeul was also a founding member of the Contemporary Artists Association (Hyeondae Misulga Hyophoe), which demanded reform of the conservative Korean art field. The group experimented with European Art Informel and American Abstract Expressionism, and labelled their exhibitions as the "anti-National Art Exhibition of Korea."

• Key works: Kim Tschang-yeul's paintings, such as Water Droplet Series, showcase his unique style and contribution to the abstract art movement.
• Influences: His work was influenced by European Art Informel movement and American Abstract Expressionism.
• Notable exhibitions: Kim Tschang-yeul's works were exhibited in international stages, including the Paris Art Exhibition.

Kim Tschang-yeul is also known as the father of French artist Oan Kim. His legacy continues to be celebrated through his artworks, which can be found in various museums and collections, including the Wikioo.org collection. For more information on Kim Tschang-yeul's life and work, visit Kim Tschang-yeul's Wikipedia page or explore his artworks on Wikioo.org.