Dansaekhwa and Korean abstraction

When Process becomes Form is the first comprehensive presentation in Belgium of a number of seminal works by a generation of Korean artists whose negotiation of abstraction has become known as Dansaekhwa. The exhibition consists of some 50 paintings and works of paper drawn from the 1970s and the 1980s, along with a substantial array of archival materials. Working at the crossroads of diverse stylistic negotiations and within a politically and socially charged context, the seven featured artists in this exhibition Lee Ufan, Chung Chang-Sup, Park Seo-Bo, Kwon Young-Woo, Ha Chong-Hyun, Kim Whanki and Chung Sang-Hwa, employed abstraction as a means of synthesis and innovation. In doing so, they have hey succeeded in articulating a distinct visual language that championed form and material over the outright political expression. Their use of pattern and repetition stems from an emphasis on their process-driven approach that places the “act of making” at the very heart of their artistic practice. Transcending the specificities of political and social conflicts, these works present the viewer with a timeless and universal visual language.

Curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath