<modern korean painting> Exhibition Hall : 2. Beginnings of Modern Art Education : SEOHWA MISULHOE AND SEOHWA ASSOCIATION

Amidst the influx of new cultural aspects during the Enlightenment era in Korea, the establishment of modern institutions for art education sought to continue the lineage of traditional art and calligraphy while fostering younger generations of practitioners. Alongside the founding of Gyeongseong Seohwa Misulwon in 1911, Seohwa Misulhoe in 1912, and Seohwa Research Association in 1915, Seohwa Association was established in 1918. Throughout this process, the movement for modern art education in Korea was led by Seohwa Misulhoe, which was founded on 1 June 1912. The teaching faculty at Seohwa Misulhoe was led by Jo Seok-jin and Ahn Jung-sik, and included artists such as Gang Jin-hui, Jeong Dae-yu, Kim Eung-won, Gang Pil-ju, and Lee Do-yeong. Their teaching methods focused on basic training through conventional painting methods, and encouraged students to emulate the calligraphy styles of the instructors and artwork from China, until the association’s dissolution in 1919 following the death of Ahn Jung-sik. Invigorated by Seohwa Misulhoe to an extent, the increased popularity of fine art and calligraphy resulted in the nationwide spread of similar art schools, which aimed to educate successive generations of artists while allowing hobbyists to learn the arts as well. Propagating the perception of art at the time as part of popular culture, this new trend led 13 prominent artists, including Jo Seok-jin, Ahn Jung-sik, Kim Gyu-jin, Oh Se-chang and Ko Hui-dong, to launch Seohwa Association on 16 June 1918 as the first artists’ association in Korea. Although the association attempted a diverse range of endeavors for the modernization and vitalization of art culture, it ceased its activities following the 15th Seohwa Exhibition in 1936. As discussed above, the influences from various institutions of modern art education led to the emergence of renowned artists such as Kim Eun-ho, Lee Sang-beom, No Su-hyeon, and Byeon Gwan-sik from Seohwa Misulhoe, and Jang U-seong, Kim Gi-chang, and Lee Eung-ro through the newcomers’ contests held by Seohwa Association, all of whom became key figures in leading the development of modern art circles in Korea since the 1920s.