Whanki Kim

Who was Whanki Kim?

Kim Whanki, also Kim Whan-ki or Kim Hwan-gi, was a pioneering abstract artist of Korea. Born February 27, 1913 in the village of Eupdong-ri on the island of Anjwado, Sinan County, South Jeolla Province, Kim died in New York City, USA, on July 25, 1974.

Kim belongs to the first generation of Korean Abstract artists, mixing oriental concepts and ideals with abstraction. With refined and moderated formative expression based on Korean Lyricism, he created his characteristic art world. His artworks largely dealt with diverse hues and patterns. Kim's early works were semi-abstract paintings which allowed beholders to see certain forms, but his later works were more deeply absorbed abstract paintings, filled with lines and spaces.

Respected domestically and abroad, the Whanki Museum, dedicated to Kim, opened in Seoul in 1992.