Forming the Monochrome Masters of Dansaekhwa

Forming the Monochrome Masters of Dansaekhwa is an exhibition at Almine Rech Paris, Matignon, featuring works by Ha Chong-Hyun, Lee Ufan, Park Seo-Bo, Yun Hyong-keun, and Chung Sang-Hwa. The show, running from March 21 to May 23, 2026, commemorates the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea. It highlights the Dansaekhwa movement, which emerged in South Korea from the 1950s onwards, as artists broke from academic painting and sought inspiration from Western avant-garde movements.

Initially perceived as imitative, the movement gained recognition in the 1960s and 1970s for its unique Korean sensibility. Artists explored pared-down aesthetics, repetition, and complex creative processes, moving away from gestural abstraction. While not a formal group, their shared features defined Dansaekhwa, meaning "monochrome painting." The exhibition delves into the movement's connection to minimalism, its distinct Korean aesthetic, and the individual approaches of its key figures, examining their innovative use of materials and conceptual underpinnings.