Park Dae-sung, 'the master of Korean ink painting,' revealed his belief in 'the privatization of art' by returning 830 works he dedicated his life to back to the world.
On the 15th, EBS's 'Neighboring Millionaire' (hereinafter 'Neighboring Millionaire') aired a special feature on the life and artistic world of Park Dae-sung, 'the genius painter who became a master of ink painting with one arm.' His story, which sublimated the pain of his childhood into artistic spirit, evoked both emotion and wonder as he became 'a living legend of the Korean art scene.'
In 2020, Park Dae-sung received recognition for his contributions to cultural and artistic development and held a solo exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), becoming the first Korean painter to do so. He has also been recognized as one of the most influential Korean artists by Forbes, establishing himself as a 'master recognized by the world' beyond Korea. Despite losing his father and left arm in an unfortunate accident at the age of four, he made a remarkable record by being selected for the prestigious Korea Art Exhibition for eight consecutive years, shaking the art world.
Notably, Park Dae-sung is also famous for being favored by the late Lee Kun-hee, who even hung his works in his office. In his 40s, he was selected as the first artist to be represented by a leading gallery in Korea, and with the full support of the late Lee Kun-hee, he traveled around the world to broaden his artistic perspective. An anecdote was also revealed that the late Lee Kun-hee supported him with travel expenses of 20 million won (approximately 72 million won in current value), adding to the surprise. Additionally, he is known as a beloved artist who BTS's RM personally visits exhibitions, proving his status as a 'cultural icon' transcending generations.
Park Dae-sung once again surprised the world by donating the 830 works he dedicated his life to create to a museum. Regarding his works, Seo Jang-hoon remarked, "It is inappropriate to mention a price, but these works are estimated to be worth tens of billions of won." He then asked, "There must have been many people wanting to buy the paintings, so what was the reason for the donation?" Park Dae-sung conveyed his artistic philosophy, stating, "Art should be enjoyed by many rather than being privatized." This was also the reason why most of his works are large pieces. He added, "Small paintings are seen by one person, but large paintings can be seen by everyone."
The '1 billion won artwork damage incident,' which once heated up the media, was also revisited. At that time, Park Dae-sung became a topic of discussion for not holding the child who damaged the artwork responsible. He stated, "It's a child, so there's no point in arguing," and rather expressed gratitude, saying, "That child is my phoenix. Who else will promote me?" showcasing his great character and becoming a role model for many. He is also dedicated to nurturing future generations by teaching painting for free every week to preserve the roots of Korean painting. The doors are open to anyone, regardless of age or gender, who loves painting.
The story of Park Dae-sung, 'A Miracle Painted with One Arm, an Artistic Spirit that Moved the World,' will continue next week in Part 2.
[Lee Da-gyeom, Star Today Reporter]
