The Light on the Wick will Shine Forever Today
- Transcript
- Seo Hee-hwan championed at the National Art Exhibition in 1968 with his calligraphy work of national seal script. Afterward, he explored fundamental issues in calligraphy to move beyond the style of his mentor, Son Jae-hyeong. Seo focused on a historical textbook for Korean letters and pronunciations, incorporating elements from various epigraphic works of Chinese calligraphy scripts. He blended these with the textbook’s mechanical letterforms to create a calligraphy style that is both classical and modern.
This couplet work is based on the textbook’s letterforms. By skillfully using a conical brush, Seo achieved both solemn stability and intimate vitality, which are difficult to attain in large-character Korean couplets. He overcame the rigidity of the textbook style through the natural white-streak effect created by varying the wetness and dryness of the ink, the thickness and thinness of the brushstrokes, and the concise yet lively inscriptions. Seo merged Chinese calligraphy's grandeur with Hangeul, creating a new Korean style. This piece exemplifies his innovative approach, combining tradition with a fresh, modern sensibility.
Seo Hee-hwan
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