Lee Kun-hee Collection Heads to London After U.S. Tour... 2,000 Years of Korean Art Unveiled at British Museum

Jointly Hosted by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, the National Museum of Korea, and the British Museum

From the National Treasure "Inwang Jesaekdo" to Kim Whanki and Nam June Paik: 185 Pieces from 100 Collections on Display Star

Cultural heritage and masterpieces of modern and contemporary art donated to the nation by the late Lee Kun-hee, former Chairman of Samsung Group, will be showcased in London, United Kingdom, following exhibitions in the United States. The exhibition presents over 2,000 years of Korean cultural heritage in one place, spanning from the National Treasure "Inwang Jesaekdo" to works by Kim Whanki, Park Sookeun, Lee Jungseop, and Nam June Paik.

Exhibition poster for the Lee Kun-hee Collection international tour ‘Korea: A Journey of Creativity in 2000 Years’ at the British Museum. The exhibition will be held from October 1 to January 31, 2027. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and the National Museum of Korea announced on September 21 that, in partnership with the British Museum, they will host the Lee Kun-hee Collection international tour exhibition, "Korea: 2,000 Years of Creativity," at the British Museum in London from October 1 to January 31 of next year.

This exhibition is based on "An Invitation from a Collector," which was organized at the National Museum of Korea in 2022 to commemorate the donation to the state by Lee Kun-hee's family in 2021. Following exhibitions at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. in November last year and at the Chicago Museum in March this year, this is the third and final international tour exhibition of the collection.

The British Museum will display a total of 185 pieces from 100 items. The exhibition includes 15 modern and contemporary artworks from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, 164 artifacts from 79 items from the National Museum of Korea, and six items from the British Museum. Among the artifacts from the National Museum of Korea, there are 27 pieces from 10 National Treasures and 23 pieces from 13 Treasures. Notably, the National Treasure "Daegu Bisan-dong Bronze Age Artifacts" will be exhibited overseas for the first time during this tour.

The exhibition is structured around a "Time Tunnel" installation, spanning Korean history over 2,000 years, in a gallery adjacent to the museum’s central ‘Great Court.’ Visitors will follow a path through major historical artifacts and enter individual exhibition spaces to explore changes in Korean culture from ancient times to the present.

Kim Whanki ‘3-X-69#120’ (1969). Collection of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Presented at the British Museum through ‘Korea: A Journey of Creativity in 2000 Years.’ National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Part 1, "Wealth and Power," features archaeological relics and Buddhist art from the Early Iron Age to Unified Silla. This section enhances the display of archaeological artifacts compared to the previous U.S. exhibitions, introducing metallic crafts and earthenware from the Three Kingdoms period, including "Wing-shaped crown ornaments," "Gilt-bronze shoes," and "Earthenware pots with clay figures."

Part 2, "Wisdom and Beauty," sheds light on the technology and aesthetics of the Goryeo dynasty through Buddhist paintings, illustrated sutras, celadon, and metal crafts. Part 3, "Learning and Joy," centers on the academic life of Joseon-era Confucians, featuring masterpieces such as the National Treasure "Inwang Jesaekdo" by Jeong Seon and "Chuseongbudo" by Kim Hongdo. The final section, Part 4, "Individuality and Community," explores the rapidly changing experience of Koreans from the Korean Empire period to the present through modern and contemporary art.

The modern and contemporary section features major artists such as Kim Whanki, Park Sookeun, Chang Ucchin, Lee Jungseop, and Nam June Paik. Highlights include Park Sookeun’s "Woman Pounding Grain," Kim Whanki’s "3-X-69#120," and the video installation "Brahms" by Nam June Paik. In particular, there are seven works being shown for the first time on this international tour, which were not present in the U.S. exhibitions: Park Nohsu’s "Sanjungdo," Park Raehyun’s "Woman," Nam June Paik’s "Brahms," Shin Hakchul’s "Modern History of Korea – Overview," Lee Jungseop’s "Strait of Korea" and "Bound People," and Choi Jongtae’s "Thinking Woman."

Nam June Paik 'Brahms' (1993). A video installation work combining monitors, violin, cello, and neon signs, to be exhibited at 'Korea: A 2000-Year Journey of Creativity' opening next month at the British Museum. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

The exhibition also features "Paradise" by Paek Namsun, a first-generation female Western-style painter. This work blends Eastern and Western painting styles, rendered in oil across an eight-panel folding screen. Standing at approximately 3.9 meters, Shin Hakchul’s "Modern History of Korea – Overview" reflects the socially critical historical consciousness of the people’s art movement in the 1980s. Nam June Paik’s "Brahms," which fuses violin, cello, monitors, and neon signs, showcases the intersection of Western classical music, electronic technology, and visual art.

While the previous U.S. exhibitions placed more emphasis on Lee Kun-hee’s donation and the public enjoyment of art, the London exhibition focuses squarely on "Korea" itself. The flow from ancient artifacts through Joseon paintings and into modern and contemporary art seeks to illustrate how the creativity of Korean culture has evolved across different eras.

Yoon Taeuk, Acting Director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, stated, "We feel more than ever the intense international interest in Korean contemporary art, as the number of foreign visitors to the museum continues to surge," adding, "This tour in the UK and across Europe will introduce the strength and vitality of Korean arts and culture to many new audiences."

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