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The past and present of our culture, And the link between the future
Kansong Art and Culture Foundation

Chairman,
Kansong Art and Culture Foundation
Youngwoo Jeon

August 2013 was the historical starting point for the establishment of the Kansong Art and Culture Foundation. The Kansong Art and Culture Foundation was established based on the purpose of further research and systematic preservation of ancient art in Korea.

The foundation's birthplace begins with the purification of national culture, or the collection of ancient Korean art, which Kansong Jeon Hyeong-pil has collected all his life. Kansong established Korea's first private art museum, Bohwagak, in 1938 to prevent the collection from dispersing.

I think August 2013 was the historical starting point for the establishment of the Kansong Art and Culture Foundation. The Kansong Art and Culture Foundation was established based on the purpose of further research and systematic preservation of ancient art in Korea.

The foundation's birthplace begins with the purification of national culture, or the collection of ancient Korean art, which Kansong Jeon Hyeong-pil has collected all his life. Kansong established Korea's first private art museum, Bohwagak, in 1938 to prevent the collection from dispersing.

However, this collection was not open to the public during Kansong's lifetime due to internal and external circumstances. After Kansong's sudden death in 1962, the bereaved family and art figures established the Korean National Art Institute in 1966 and began full-scale research on the Kansong collection.

Since 1971, the museum has been introduced to the public as it was changed to the name of Kansong Art Museum. For a long period of over 50 years, exhibitions have been held every spring and fall based on the researchers' research results. Long-term efforts have come back as a result of the people's support and interest.

In order to adequately respond to these demands amid the growing public interest in ancient art in Korea, the Kansong Art and Culture Foundation will start an external general exhibition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza from 2014 to 2019. An opportunity was formed for more people to feel the breath of our ancestors, which can be said to be the prototype of our visual thinking.

The storage building was constructed in 2022 to manage the cultural assets more systematically, feeling responsible for the preservation of cultural assets passed down to future generations by Mr. Kansong. We were finally able to complete the restoration of the storage building in 2024, after putting our utmost effort into repairing and restoring the storage, research, and exhibition of the storage for about 80 years.

National art is not just a form of beauty. It is the spirit itself where our lives and history are materially embodied. Therefore, in the era of globalization, we need to further develop our own spirit that has been handed down from the past and harmonize with the shining human cultures around the world. That is the true meaning of cultural globalization.

To this end, the Kansong Art and Culture Foundation will spare no effort and support. And our Foundation promises to be a link between the past, present, and future of our culture. We will also strive to become the center of cultural communication that communicates with the world. Thank you.