Descanso Gardens in La Cañada will host its first-ever Korean art exhibition. The Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles (KCCLA), led by Director Sangwon Jung, announced that from June 27 to September 29, the Sturt Haaga Gallery within Descanso Gardens will showcase “HWAJODO: Flowers and Birds of Korean American Art.”
This exhibition has been jointly planned and prepared with Meher MacArthur, curator of the Sturt Haaga Gallery and an Asian art historian, since late last year. The exhibition will feature over 50 works that blend tradition and innovation by Korean and Korean American artists.
The exhibition uniquely combines traditional representations of flowers and birds with contemporary artists’ abstract and stylized interpretations, reflecting a bridge between the past and present, tradition and innovation.
In the traditional art section, visitors can admire folk paintings Kyu Tae Song, a Master of Korean folk painting, his student Kee Soon Sung, President of the Korean Folk Art Association, and several of her students in Los Angeles.
The contemporary art section will present new perspectives through large murals, ceramics, textiles, and abstract paintings by four modern artists: Dave Young Kim, Dana Weiser, Hei Myung Hyun, and Jane Park Wells.
Descanso Gardens, a 150-acre botanical garden, was originally owned by newspaper publisher Elias Manchester Boddy (1880-1967) and acquired by Los Angeles County in 1953. It is a popular local attraction for residents of LA and Southern California.
La Cañada, located about 10 miles northeast of Koreatown, and nearby La Crescenta, have significant Korean populations.
“This is the first Korean art exhibition at Descanso Gardens, showcasing both traditional Korean paintings and contemporary art that are rarely seen in the United States,” said Director Jung. “We hope visitors can appreciate the diverse aspects of Korean art.”
Throughout the exhibition period, the KCCLA plans to hold Korean art experience programs in collaboration with Descanso Gardens to promote the charm of Korean art to the local community.
The opening ceremony will take place on June 27 from 5 to 7 PM, with free garden admission for visitors during the two-hour event.
Location: 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada
Inquiries: (323) 936-3014
BY EUNYOUNG LEE, YOUNGNAM KIM [lee.eunyoung6@koreadaily.com]
