Kim Tschang-Yeul was a prominent South Korean painter born on December 24, 1929, in Maengsan, South Korea. He passed away on January 5, 2021. Kim is renowned for his distinctive style that primarily focuses on depicting water droplets in a hyper-realistic manner. This unique subject became his signature motif throughout his artistic career.
During the Korean War, Kim was displaced to Busan, like many others. He later studied at the College of Fine Arts at Seoul National University. His early work in the 1950s and 60s was influenced by abstract expressionism, but he gradually shifted his focus towards more minimalist and meditative representations.
In 1966, Kim moved to Paris where he was exposed to Western art trends and philosophies, which significantly influenced his artistic development. It was during this period that he began his explorations into the water droplets series, which symbolically served to cleanse and heal the wounds of his war-torn experiences and memories.
Kim Tschang-Yeul's work is highly celebrated both in Korea and internationally. His paintings are not just visually striking but are also imbued with deep philosophical underpinnings, exploring themes of emptiness, existence, and the material versus the immaterial. His art has been exhibited around the world and remains influential in the realms of both Asian and global contemporary art.