Park Seo-Bo: Changing Unchanging at Kukje Gallery Seoul

Commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of painter Park Seo-Bo, a foremost pioneer of Korean Dansaekhwa, the major retrospective Park Seo-Bo: Changing Unchanging opens at Kukje Gallery Seoul in Jongno-gu. Spanning more than five decades of ceaseless artistic experimentation, the presentation offers an extraordinary journey through the evolution of his iconic Ecriture (묘법) series.

The exhibition brings together over 40 pivotal artworks presented across the gallery’s K1 and K3 exhibition spaces as well as the historic Hanok building. It provides an exceptional opportunity to encounter the diverse chronological phases of Park’s lifelong practice.

Park Seo-Bo: Changing Unchanging Visitor Information

• Exhibition Title: Park Seo-Bo: Changing Unchanging (변하는 변하지 않는)
• Exhibition Period: August 24, 2026 – October 18, 2026
• Venue: Kukje Gallery Seoul, K1, K3, and Hanok (54 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul)
• Opening Hours: Monday–Saturday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Sundays and Public Holidays 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Closed Days: Open daily year-round
• Admission: Free
• Participating Artist: Park Seo-Bo

“If You Do Not Change, You Fall”: Philosophy Behind the Canvas

During his lifetime, Park Seo-Bo often declared: “If you do not change, you will fall; but if you change, you will also fall.” By this, he meant that settling complacently into an established style leads to mannerism and downfall, while recklessly chasing superficial change without a steadfast inner core causes an artist to lose their center and collapse as well. Driven by this perpetual tension, the artist continually challenged himself to transcend his own boundaries.

The exhibition title Changing Unchanging precisely encapsulates this lifelong creative discipline. Although materials, techniques, and color palettes transformed across distinct decades, the meditative core of emptying oneself through repetitive, ascetic mark-making remained utterly constant.

Three Key Highlights to Observe in the Galleries

1. A Half-Century Evolution of the Ecriture Series

The retrospective surveys more than 40 works spanning every major era: from early pencil Ecriture and zig-zag compositions to monochrome and polychrome works, extending to late-career colored pencil and newspaper Ecriture pieces. Viewers can follow the formal progression from initial gestural line-drawing to tactile surfaces imbued with the materiality of Korean traditional mulberry paper (hanji).

2. Spatial Dialogue Across K1, K3, and the Hanok

Different creative periods unfold across Kukje Gallery’s distinct architectural spaces. Experiencing the monumental resonance of large canvases inside the modern white-cube galleries of K1 and K3 contrasts beautifully with the tranquil dialogue between Ecriture paintings and traditional wooden architecture inside the Hanok.

3. Tactile Materiality of Hanji and Meditative Mark-Making

Soaking sheets of traditional hanji paper and pushing them across the canvas to form sculptural ridges and furrows is central to Park’s mature methodology. Visitors are encouraged to observe at close range how repetitive, disciplined gestures generate relief-like surfaces that harmonize with nature-inspired colors under changing gallery illumination.

Visiting Guidelines Before Your Trip to Samcheong-dong

Kukje Gallery Seoul is located at 54 Samcheong-ro in Jongno-gu and welcomes visitors free of charge without requiring reservations. Operating hours run Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The gallery remains open daily without scheduled closing days, making it accessible throughout weekends and holidays.

For art lovers strolling through the Samcheong-dong gallery district, exploring other Korean modern art presentations published on this site is highly recommended:

• Lee Daiwon: There Is Nothing to Make You Sad
• Lee Kang So: Emergence and Dissolution

Official Announcements and Source Information

To confirm exhibition schedules and explore additional gallery details, visit the official Kukje Gallery website.