Each creation on show is a testament to these artists’ profound ties to nature, technology and the social issues of their eras. Together, they reveal the wealth of a cultural heritage in which tradition coexists with modernity, reflecting the country’s diverse society and the changes that have occurred within it.

The works of the seventeen artists, although varying in their techniques and visions, are intertwined to present a nuanced insight into the Korean contemporary art scene. Inspired by age-old traditions as disparate as shamanism, Buddhism and calligraphy, some also incorporate modernity through iconic materials such as hanji paper. Two such artists are Park Seo-Bo, a pioneering figure of the monochrome movement, and Minjung Kim, who explores the essence of hanji using marking techniques. Lee Bae, on the other hand, chooses charcoal to endow his art with a symbolic, poetic dimension.