Ha Chong-Hyun

Sixty years of material innovation from the acclaimed Dansaekwha abstractionist

Predominantly known for his minimalist “Dansaekwha” paintings, South Korean artist Ha Chong-Hyun (born 1935) has spent six decades pioneering new forms in abstract painting. Initially working in oil, collage, and mixed media, since the 1970s Ha’s Conjunction series, colorful abstract works made by pushing thick oil paints through the back of coarse canvas to the front, have produced a wide array of textures and patterns that are entirely unique to his practice.
This publication presents the work of the artist on the occasion of Ha’s landmark retrospective exhibition as part of the 59th Biennale di Venezia. A curated selection of more than 20 works produced from the 1960s through today shows the breadth of the artist’s creative experimentation in materials and methods, and is presented alongside images of the installation in Venice, essays, an illustrated historical timeline and artist biography.