Lee Ungno

Lee Ungno’s Biography (1904-1989)

1904
Born in Hongseong, South Korea

1920
Learned basics of black-ink painting skills from Yomjae Song Taehoi, a calligrapher

1922~1923
Studied under Haegang Kim Gyujin, a calligrapher

1935~1939
Majored in Oriental Painting at the Kawabata Art School in Tokyo
Majored in Western Painting at the Hongo Painting Research Center in Tokyo
Studied in the Denko art studio under the supervision of Matsubayashi Keigetsu in Tokyo

1939
First solo exhibition <renewal exhibtion of literati painting> at Hwashin gallery in Seoul

1945
Opened ‘Goam art studio’ in Seoul
Helped shape the Joseon Art Research Association and the Dangu Art Academy as one of its principal figures

1948~1954
Worked as a head professor at the College of Fine Art in Hongik University
Worked as a professor at the department of Oriental Painting at Sorabol Art College

1956
Published a book「Appreciation and Techniques of the Oriental Painting」.
Jacques Lassaigne invited Lee to Paris

1957
Displayed <sailing> and <Mountains> at the Korean contemporary art exhibition (World house gallery, New York)
The Rockefeller foundation bought and donated them to the Museum of Modern Art, New York

1958
Solo exhibition to celebrate his moving to France at the Central Public Relations Office in Seoul
Moved to France in December

1959
Duo exhibition of Lee Ungno and Park Inkyung at the Bonn Museum of Art, Germany
Solo exhibition at Frankfurt Student-house & Galerie Prestel(Frankfurt), Galerie Boisserée(Köln), Clubhouse Musenhof(Köln)

1960
Group exhibition at Galerie Paul Facchetti
Made a contract with Galerie Paul Facchetti in Paris, France for the exhibition of his works

1962
Solo exhibition at Galerie Paul Facchetti in Paris
Solo exhibition at Central Public Relations Center in Seoul

1963
Solo show at Musée des beaux-arts de La Chaux-de-Fonds, La Chaux-de-Fonds

1964
Solo exhibition at Galerie Numaga in Auvernier, Switzerland
Founded the L’Académie de Peinture Orientale de Parisunder the sponsorship of 14 French celebrities in early November.
※J. Alvard(critic), V. Elisseeff (director of Cernuschi Museum), H. Hartung (painter), J. Keim(historian), J. Lassaigne(critic), P. Soulages(painter), Chang D. Chien(painter), Chou Ling(philoshpher), Fujita(painter), Li Hi Soung(linguisitc), M. Thu(painter), K. Tchang(philoshpher), Zao Wouki(painter)

1965
Won a Special Prize at the 8th Biennale de Saõ Paulo

1966
Solo exhibition at National Museum of Denmark,t Coppenhagen
Group show <expression et rencontres>, Musée des beaux arts de Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel

1967
Incarceration in South Korea because of East Berlin Affair (wrongly accused of spying against the government)

1970
Invited to Sables Museum opening show at Port-Barcarès, France

1972
Solo exhibition at the Querini Stampalia foundation in Venice, Italy

1976
Galerie Annick Lemoine produced a film 「Ung-no Lee」

1978
Solo exhibition, Musée des beaux-arts de La Chaux-de-Fonds, La Chaux-de-Fonds
Published a Manual Book 「L’art de peindre à l’encre de Chine」, Sarl Koryo, Paris, France

1979
Musée de la Monnaie de Paris acquired his works

1982
National Museum of Ceramic produced and bought his works
Le Mobilier National Paris bought three tapestry patterns

1983
Solo exhibition at Del Naviglio gallery in Milan, Italy

1984
Solo exhibition <foules-signes 1974-1984> at Club 44 in La Chaux-de-Fonds

1985
Exhibition of the Lee Ungno couple at Hyunmin gallery in Kanagawa and Sanyo gallery in Tokyo, Japan
Published a book 「Lee Ungno - Seoul • Paris • Tokyo (Thoughts about Painting and Nation)」, containing a discussion with Lee Ungno, his wife Park Inkyung, Tomiyama Daeiko in September 1985

1986
Invited to <people exhibition> at Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

1987
Exhibition <20th Century Sèvres Ceramic Exhibition> at National Museum of Ceramic, Sèvres
Exhibition <the lines of new shapes> at Baccarat Crystal Museum in Paris

1988
Published a Mannual book 「L’art de peindre à l’encre de Chine / L’Académie de Peinture Orientale de Paris」
Solo exhibition at Simmons gallery in LA, Retrospective exhibition <1950-1980> in New York

1989
Retrospective at Hoam gallery (Seoul)
Died of heart attack in January, Paris