Born in North Korea in 1937, Kim Chong Hak is an eminent figure in contemporary Korean art. Widely known as the “Painter of Seorak”, Kim evokes Mount Seorak—the third-highest mountain in Korea, situated in the east of the country— on his canvases with motifs from nature, such as flowers, insects, and weeds.
The artist's recent major solo exhibitions include Kim Chong-Hak: Highlighting Contemporary Artist III at Busan Museum of Art, Busan in 2020; Vitality at Galerie Perrotin, Paris in 2019; Carte blanche à Kim Chong Hak at Musée Guimet, Paris in 2018; A Key to Creation Exhibition at SeMA Nam Seoul Living Art Museum, Seoul in 2015. Kim's work has also been featured in group shows including The Muse, Her-story at Whanki Museum, Seoul & Ewha Museum, Seoul and 130th Anniversary Special at Ewha Museum, Seoul in 2016; In Between, Kumho Museum, Seoul in 2014, among other major international exhibitions and projects.