Kim Gu’s Four-Character “Long Live Independence” Written in 1948 to Be Auctioned Ahead of Liberation Day

117 Works to Be Auctioned at Seoul Auction on August 25
Total Low Estimate Reaches 9.15 Billion Won

FIAC-Exhibited "Water Drops" to Debut in Korea

Kim Whanki’s Monumental Size 150 Painting Also Featured

On the occasion of Liberation Day, the calligraphy "Long Live Independence (독립만세)" written by Kim Gu (1876-1949) during the turbulent days after liberation, will be put up for auction. The 100-piece "Water Drops" by Kim Tschangyeul, which was exhibited at the FIAC (Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain) in Paris in 1981, will be unveiled to the public in Korea for the first time, while a large-scale 150-piece abstract work from Kim Whanki's New York period (painted in 1966) is also seeking a new owner.

Kim Gu, "Long Live Independence (독립만세)", 1948, Ink on paper, 129.6×33.5 cm. This calligraphy was written on January 8, 1948, when the representatives of the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea began arriving in Seoul, with an inscription stating "January 8, 30th year of the Republic of Korea, International Commission's Arrival in Seoul." Seoul Auction

Seoul Auction announced on August 13 that its 194th art auction will take place at 4 p.m. on August 25 at the Gangnam Center in Seoul. A total of 117 items will be featured, including 75 works of modern and contemporary art, 32 works of classical art, and 10 luxury items. The combined lower estimate for these pieces is approximately 9,146,600,000 won.

This year, which marks the 81st anniversary of Liberation and the 150th anniversary of Kim Gu's birth, the spotlight is on his handwritten calligraphy, "Long Live Independence." Written on January 8, 1948, the piece has an official inscription on the left margin, stating, "January 8, 30th year of the Republic of Korea, International Commission's Arrival in Seoul." This marks the day when representatives of the United Nations Temporary Commission on Korea began arriving in Seoul to address Korean peninsula issues. The four characters contain Kim Gu's aspiration for complete independence and unification at a time when Korea’s division was becoming real after liberation. The estimated price is between 20 million and 40 million won.

In the modern and contemporary section, Kim Tschangyeul's 1981 work "Water Drops" will greet a Korean audience for the first time. As a 100-piece painting measuring 162.5×129.9 cm, its estimated price is between 600 million and 1.2 billion won. This is the work that was displayed at the FIAC (Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain) Stand at the Grand Palais in Paris in October 1981 by the Stamplli Gallery.

Unlike his early series where water drops densely filled the canvas, this work creates a rectangular space in the center, placing droplets of various sizes inside and outside it. It shows the change in his work in the early 1980s, when he began experimenting not only with hyper-realistic depictions of single drops, but also with the spatial and compositional structures of the canvas itself. According to Seoul Auction, eight out of nine Kim Tschangyeul pieces at that FIAC booth were sold.

Kwon Ki-won, '3-II-66', 1966, Oil on canvas, 220.5×170 cm. This large 150-piece work was created during the period when, after settling in New York, concrete shapes such as mountains and the moon were transformed into abstractions of dots and lines. Seoul Auction

Kim Whanki’s "3-Ⅱ-66" will also be up for auction. At 220.5×170 cm, it is a major work larger than a typical 150-piece, though the estimate has not been disclosed. This piece was painted in 1966, three years after Kim Whanki settled in New York in 1963. Concrete forms like the moon, jars, mountains, and birds were being transformed into dots and lines, developing the visual language that would later lead to his iconic all-over dot paintings. That same year, Kim held a solo exhibition at the New York Tasca Gallery.

Not only post-fame masterpieces, but early phases of masters’ careers are drawing attention as well. Yun Hyongkeun's early abstract "Untitled," painted in 1968 before he established his signature umber palette, stands out for its thick paint and blue tones, and carries an estimate of 18 million to 40 million won. This work was created after his marriage to Kim Youngsook, Kim Whanki's eldest daughter.

"Untitled," a four-panel folding screen painted by Lee Ufan in the early 1960s in his early twenties, is also up for auction. As an early ink painting on silk, its estimated value is between 40 million and 80 million won. It predates Lee’s international fame with "From Point" and "From Line" series and Mono-ha movement in the 1970s, offering a glimpse into the origins of his artistic development.

Gisan Kim Junggeun, "Pungsokdo," ink and color on silk, each 26.5×21.5 cm, 12 pieces. It depicts the livelihoods and daily life of late 19th-century Joseon people, including farming and weaving, Ssireum (wrestling) and swing riding, and taverns. The works are estimated to be from around the 1890s. Seoul Auction

In the classical art section, 12 genre paintings by Gisan Kim Junggeun will be auctioned together. Depicting late 19th-century Joseon daily life, the works portray livelihoods such as farming and weaving, as well as Ssireum (wrestling), swing rides, taverns, and families carrying bundles. They are characterized by almost entirely omitting backgrounds, instead depicting gestures and tools of figures in detail. Seoul Auction dates the works to around the 1890s based on the stable composition and coloring. The estimate is between 120 million and 200 million won.

The artworks will be on free public preview at Seoul Auction’s Gangnam Center from August 14 through auction day August 25. The preview is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.