Chang Ucchin: The Eternal Home 

On view: May 7-July 19, 2025

KCCNY: 122 East 32nd St. NYC 

Opening Ceremony: Wednesday, May 7 (6-8 PM)

hang Ucchin (1917–1990) was a seminal figure in establishing Korean modernism, developing a distinctive artistic style that embodies a sense of innocence and playfulness. His work has become a cornerstone of modern and contemporary Korean art, leaving behind a significant legacy that reflects his deep affection for family, home, and nature.

Chang Ucchin sought to capture the fundamental beauty of life through the simplest forms, depicting familiar natural elements such as trees, birds, the sun, and the moon. These motifs transcend time and space, creating a world of peace and serenity. In his paintings, the home is more than a structure; it is a spiritual refuge, the heart of life, and an ideal space where humanity and nature exist in perfect harmony.

In 1992, the Limited Editions Club (LEC) of New York recognized Chang Ucchin as an artist who best represents Korean culture and published Golden Ark, an exclusive collection of 12 paintings he personally selected from among the over 730 oil paintings he had created. The title, Golden Ark, metaphorically compares his artistic value to gold and conveys his role as a vessel guiding his era. To preserve the authenticity of his work, the book was meticulously handcrafted to replicate the exact size and colors of his original paintings, making it a rare and invaluable document of his artistic universe.

This exhibition marks the first dedicated presentation of Chang Ucchin’s work in New York, revisiting the works and philosophy encapsulated in Golden Ark. In today’s rapidly changing world, his paintings remind us of the warmth of family, the comfort of home, and the tranquil beauty of nature, presenting a space where one can rediscover simple yet profound happiness even within the complexities of urban life. By dissolving the boundaries between reality and the ideal, this exhibition invites audiences to experience the world Chang Ucchin envisioned—one filled with purity, harmony, and the timeless resonance of art.

About the Artist

Photograph: Woon-goo Kang 장욱진/ 강운구 사진

Chang Ucchin is widely recognized as one of the key figures of modern Korean art, alongside Park Su-geun, Kim Whanki, and Lee Jung-seob. Born in Yeongi, Chungcheongnam-do, in 1917, Chang showed early promise as a painter and studied Western painting at the Teikoku Art School (present-day Musashino Art University) in Tokyo in 1939. After Korea’s liberation, he worked briefly at the National Museum of Korea before serving as a professor at Seoul National University’s College of Fine Arts from 1954 to 1960. He later chose to leave academia to live a simple life in nature and devote himself fully to painting.

In 1947, Chang co-founded the New Realism Group (Shinsasilpa) with Kim Whanki and Yoo Youngkuk, advocating a new way of seeing reality—not through mere representation, but through the pursuit of spiritual and essential truths embedded in everyday forms. Inspired by his surroundings, Chang portrayed familiar subjects such as trees, children, birds, and houses. His paintings are marked by a poetic simplicity, emotional balance, and a whimsical yet contemplative tone, transcending the boundaries between Eastern and Western traditions.

Rather than seeking grandeur, Chang favored intimate compositions, distilling the essence of his subjects with minimal lines and deliberate spatial arrangements. His work bridges traditional Korean sensibilities with modernist expression, offering quiet yet profound reflections on life. He passed away in 1990 at the age of 74, leaving behind a deeply influential legacy that continues to inspire audiences across generations.