MOON Shin

Moon Shin was a South Korean painter and sculptor. He moved to Paris in 1961 at first. His study in Paris encouraged him to immerse in modern art, which made him get into abstract paintings or sculptures focusing on wood materials. This period is meaningful in that the artist widened his work space in arts. After a two-year stay in Seoul, he returned to Paris. This time he paid attention to large-scale sculptors in abstract and imaginary structures, which called for the invitation of several exhibitions across Europe. The outdoor exhibition in Le Barcarès brought him international fame starting in Europe.

After coming back to Paris, his pieces achieved a unique style in forms of symmetry, such as shapes of plants or creatures to fascinatingly demonstrate vitality. His pieces represent the beauty of Korean tradition through bilateral symmetry with images of life.

Returning to South Korea in 1980, he settled in Masan, his hometown, eagerly focusing on sculptors made of bronze and stainless metal. The difference from his anterior period was ingredients: He started to use much thicker materials such as ebony and pine trees.

His philosophy comes from the idea that all creatures hold the concept of symmetry and harmony in nature. Strong materials such as iron and metal drove him to accomplish his original objective. His pieces show patterns of Korean art from the early 1950s and 1960s to mature abstract paintings until the early 1990s.

MOON SHIN