Book review: Community, collaboration between poets, artists forged during dark colonial times

Painter Jung Hyun-woong's illustration accompanying Baek Seok's poem, "Me, Natasha and the White Donkey" (1938) / Courtesy of Adan Mungo

By Park Han-sol

The cover of "Poets and Painters" (2021) by Youn Bum-mo / Courtesy of Dahal Media

The fact that the golden age of Korea's modern literature and art occurred during the early 20th century may seem like an ironic twist to many. How was it that the bleak times of Japanese colonial rule formed the backdrop to a cultural flourishing of lively, communal interactions among artists and poets?

In fact, colonial Seoul, known back then as Gyeongseong, from 1910s to 1940s, was shaped and defined by a wave of clashes between tradition and modernization. The influx of new ideas, philosophies and culture from the West captivated young Korean intellectuals ― artists and writers alike ― who felt defeated by Japanese imperial rule. They shared in the spirit of resistance and perseverance, envisioning the new era through collaborations forged in friendships and inspiring one another both on canvases and in the pages of books.

The newly released book, "Poets and Painters," by art critic Youn Bum-mo, who is the director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), sheds light on such creative collaborations across art and literature forged during the Japanese colonial era and the later, post-Korean War period of the 1950s.

The writings contain interviews Youn personally held with the artists in question, or their families and colleagues, as well as references to other previously lost or unknown historical documents. Combined together, these primary sources offer a deeper glimpse into the intellectual and creative communities that blossomed in modern Korea.

Rha Hye-seok, Korea's first woman Western-style painter and advocate of women's rights / Korea Times file

One of the primary collaborations discussed in the book resulted from the relationship between painter Rha Hye-seok and poet Choi Seung-goo.

Rha was an idiosyncratic artist of her time, as Korea's first female Western-style painter, writer and pioneering advocate of women's rights. When she was studying in Tokyo, she met Choi. They fell madly in love with each other until the poet died of tuberculosis at a young age. Their pen names ― Rha's "Jeongwol" and Choi's "Sowol" ― share the Chinese character, "wol," and hint at the level of intimacy cultivated between the two figures.

Youn focuses not only on their emotional, romantic sparks, but also on the defiant spirit they shared against the social norms of the day, which became evident in their works. In Rha's poem, "Light," (1918), a precious ray of light awakens the narrator from the darkness and reminds her of her duty to follow her passion. Here, "light" is understood as a source of social enlightenment that pushes all Korean women to seek liberation from institutionalized, patriarchal values.

Her lover Choi's poem, "Belgium's Warrior," (1915) urges a Belgian soldier to fight until the end against an invasion of the Germanic tribes ― a metaphoric message to intellectuals of the period about the conditions of colonial Korea.

"Choi's poetry is notable for its spirit of resistance and acknowledgement of the harsh reality, especially considering that the literary circle of the 1910s was largely filled with spiritless and sentimental poems," Youn writes.

Gu Bon-ung's "Portrait of a Friend" (1935) / Courtesy of MMCA

Yi Sang, whose real name is Kim Hae-gyeong, is best known for his experimental and avant-garde poems and written works. But he was also a graphic designer and painter, providing illustrations for his signature piece, "Wings," and cover art for "Chosun and Architecture" magazine, among others. There is a theory among critics that his pen name derived from the portable painting toolbox that his best friend and artist Gu Bon-ung gave him as a gift. The friendship between the two is captured in Gu's expressive artwork, "Portrait of a Friend," which portrays Yi's peculiar, apprehensive character on the edge.

During the colonial era, "Hwamun" was a new genre introduced in literary magazines, where artists would paint images that matched the featured poems. Painter Jung Hyun-woong produced illustrations for Baek Seok's famous poem, "Me, Natasha and the White Donkey," in 1938, visually depicting the verse's exotic, dreamlike mood with a simple usage of the colors red, black and white.

"The readers can understand the atmosphere surrounding the poem simply by looking at the drawing, which masterfully expresses the distinct characteristics of the scenery it describes. This collaboration is a preeminent example of poetry and painting becoming one in spirit," Youn notes.

Lee Jung-seob's "Family of Poet Ku Sang" (1955) / Courtesy of the artist

The fruitful relationship between Korean art and literature continued through to the post-war era, notably seen between painter Lee Jung-seob and longtime friend, poet Ku Sang.

The poet's testimonies offer glimpses of how the artist strove to sell his pieces so that he could reunite with his family in Japan. When Lee eventually gave up hope due to financial difficulties, Ku recounts how that pain and agony slowly turned to Lee's self-torture and mental illness.

The drawing, "Family of Poet Ku Sang," (1955) was drawn by Lee while he was residing in Ku's house in Daegu before he tragically passed away a year later. The artist's yearning for familial love is expressed in this portrait of his friend giving his young son the gift of a new tricycle.

The book also discusses the friendship between the renowned artist, Park Soo-keun, and the equally famous novelist Park Wan-suh.

In 1952, the two worked together in the U.S. 8th Army PX at the Donghwa Department Store in central Seoul. The novelist was responsible for hawking a portrait drawing service to American soldiers on the street, while the painter was in charge of drawing the portraits. They became close, engaging in thoughtful conversations as they headed to cafes or walked to the tram station together after work.

Later, Soo-keun's painting, "Two Women and a Tree," (1962) inspired Wan-suh's debut novel, "The Naked Tree," (1970) which incorporates the painter as its gentle, passionate protagonist.

"The book explores how creative people living in a very dark era embraced the times and thus enriched the world of art. It's regrettable that the close companionship between writers and artists is simply recounted as something of the past in the current age," author Youn explains, expressing hope for such a sincere convergence and union of the two genres to take place once again.