KOREAN ART MASTER PASSES AWAY

[Anchor Lead]

A household name in Korean art, Kim Tschang-yeul, who is known for his water drop paintings, passed away on Tuesday. His unique style of work including the signature “water drops” was beloved by many.

[Pkg]

This work depicts numerous water drops in the backdrop of the Chinese Thousand Character Classic. It's the work of the late Kim Tschang-yeul, a great master in Korean abstract art, most well known for his water drop paintings. Born in Pyeongannamdo Province in current day North Korea in 1929, Kim moved to the south at age 16 and learned to draw. He entered Seoul National University art college through a qualification exam for high school graduation, but had to stop his studies when the Korean War broke out. After the war, he became a professional artist and went over to New York in 1965 to study prints and engraving, then, he settled in Paris and focused on his art. One day, he found unexpected beauty in water drops that accidentally splashed on the canvas. Ever since then, he turned water drops that glimmer and quickly vanish, into his unique form of art symbolizing the pain of war and the instantaneous characteristics of life.

[Soundbite] KIM TSCHANG-YEUL : "I tend to emphasize the color, density of shadows and the size and touch of brushstrokes..."

Kim has been a prolific artist in France and Korea, gaining commercial popularity as well as global fame. He received artistic honors from France in 1996 and 2017. Kim also won an order of cultural merit in Korea in 2013. Despite his age, Kim even showcased an art performance during the 10th anniversary memorial event for the late video artist Paik Nam June. But after that, due to deteriorating health, he longer made public appearances. He held his last domestic exhibition late last year. Kim Tschang-yeul passed away on January 5th at age 92.