Lee Daewon: There Is Nothing to Make You Sad
이대원: 당신을 슬프게 하는 것은 하나도 없다
Lee Daewon (1921–2005) ranks among Korea's most beloved painters of modern and contemporary art. His landscapes filled with vivid colors depicting orchards, mountains, ponds, and fields have long captivated the hearts and minds of many. This exhibition moves beyond viewing him simply as a painter of bright landscapes. His luminous surfaces are not the product of innate optimism, but rather the result of prolonged observation, continuous learning, and formal restraint. Lee Daewon painted Western-style works while subjectively reconstituting the formal methods of Korean crafts and East Asian painting within his own practice. Tradition became the foundation of his pictorial world, and Western modernism the language he mastered and transcended. His light, accumulated within the picture plane rather than floating above it, emerges from his patient exploration over decades of the same locale. The absence of sorrow in his paintings stems not from ignorance of suffering, but from the time spent patiently accumulating and restraining—a radiant and serene world untouched by sadness.
- Dates
- Aug 6, 2026 → Nov 8, 2026
- Venue
- Deoksu Palace · 🏙️ Seoul
- Price
- ₩1,000 – ₩2,000
- Ticketing
- Official museum site
Practical information
- Exact location
- Deoksugung Palace
- Organiser
- National Museum of Korea / LG Electronics, Noru Paint / Moorim Paper
🎟️ How to book — Official museum site
- 1
Check opening hours on the museum's official site
Many Korean national museums close one day a week, often Mondays — worth checking before you make the trip.
- 2
Book a time slot for the most popular exhibitions
The most anticipated temporary exhibitions sometimes limit access to online time-slot reservations, especially on weekends.
- 3
Permanent collections are often free
Only certain special or temporary exhibitions charge admission — the permanent collection itself is free to enter at most national museums.
- 4
Book ahead for groups or guided tours
School groups and guided tours generally need to be booked directly with the museum ahead of the visit.
💡 Good to know
Many Korean national museums close one day a week (often Mondays) — check before you go.
Around the same dates
Source : Culture Data Plaza