'A master of Korean ink painting' painter Park Dae-seong returned 830 works he devoted his life to the world and voiced his conviction against the privatization of art.
On the 15th, the EBS entertainment show Seo Jang-hoon's Neighbor Millionaire (abbreviated Neighbor Millionaire) aired and fully revealed the life and artistic world of Park Dae-seong, the 'genius painter who became a master of ink painting with one arm.' His story, in which the pains of childhood were sublimated into an artistic spirit to become 'a living legend of Korea's art world,' evoked both emotion and wonder.
In 2020 Park Dae-seong was honored for contributions to cultural and artistic development, and he held the first solo exhibition by a Korean painter at the western U.S. major museum LACMA. He was also named by the U.S. business magazine Forbes as one of the most influential Korean painters, establishing himself as a 'master recognized by the world' beyond Korea. At age 4 he lost his father and left arm in an accident, but with one arm and self-study he shook the art world by being selected for eight consecutive years at the Korea Art Exhibition, the country's most prestigious art contest.
Especially, Park Dae-seong is also famous as a painter favored by the late chairman Lee Kun-hee, who hung his work in his office. In his 40s he was chosen as the first exclusive artist of a leading domestic gallery, and with Lee Kun-hee's full sponsorship he traveled the world to broaden his artistic vision. The anecdote that Lee Kun-hee provided 20 million won (current value about 72 million won) in travel expenses was also revealed, adding to the surprise. He is also known as an artist beloved enough that BTS RM personally visited exhibitions, proving his role as an 'art-world icon' that transcends generations.
Park Dae-seong surprised the world again by donating 830 works he painted over his lifetime to a museum. Regarding his works, Seo Jang-hoon opened by saying, "It is rude to mention prices, but these works have estimated prices that run into billions of won." He then asked, "Many people probably wanted to buy the paintings; why did you donate them?" Park Dae-seong expressed his artistic philosophy, saying, "Paintings should be viewed and enjoyed by many people rather than privatized." He added that most of his works are large pieces for the same reason. Park Dae-seong added, "Small paintings are seen by one person, but large paintings can be seen by everyone."
The '100 million won work vandalism incident' that once heated the media was also reexamined. At the time Park Dae-seong drew attention for not holding a child visitor who damaged a work accountable. He said, "It's a child, not worth making a fuss over," and instead expressed gratitude with the magnanimous remark, "That child is my phoenix. Who will promote my career?" setting an example for many. He also teaches painting for free every week to preserve the roots of Korean painting and fosters the next generation. His door is open to anyone who loves painting regardless of age or gender.
The story of Park Dae-seong, 'a miracle painted with one arm, an artistic spirit that moved the world,' continues next week in part two. Seo Jang-hoon's Neighbor Millionaire airs every Wednesday at 9:55 p.m.<
[Photo] Provided by EBS.
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