MMCA Deoksugung revisits works of 'magician of color' Lee Dai-won

Seoul, August 5 - The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) will unveil a major retrospective of Korean painter Lee Dai-won (1921-2005) at its Deoksugung branch starting this week. The exhibition, titled "Lee Dai-won: Nothing Here Makes You Sad," will showcase approximately 120 oil paintings alongside around 100 archival items, antique artworks, and documents that span the painter's seven-decade career.

This marks the first major retrospective of the esteemed artist, often referred to as the "gentleman of the art scene," the "magician of color," and the "happiest painter in the world." Unlike the prevailing Western artistic trends, Lee Dai-won skillfully merged Korean traditional craft elements like embroidery and najeon (mother-of-pearl inlay) with East Asian painting techniques, forging a unique path for Korean contemporary painting.

Beyond his artistic endeavors, Lee Dai-won also operated Bando Gallery, effectively serving as Korea's first commercial art gallery and introducing the works of prominent figures such as Park Soo-keun, Chang Ucchin, Kim Ki-chang, Kim Whan-ki, and Yoo Young-kuk to international audiences. According to MMCA Director Kim Sung-hee, Lee was a cultural intellectual who played a pivotal role in establishing the foundations for showcasing, educating, and promoting Korean art globally.

He was also an artist who devoted his life to exploring the distinct possibilities of a modern Korean artistic expression.