정현웅의 『조선 미술 이야기』 연구

Abstract

The Story of Korean Art (Pyongyang: Gungnip Chulpansa [National Press], 1954) was written by Seoul-born artist Jung Hyunwoong (1911-1976) soon after he moved to North Korea. It is academically significant as a study of the history of Korean art. Despite this, Jung’s work has never been studied in-depth by South Korean scholars until now. Firstly, according to Jung, the text begins with an awareness that the classical art of the Korean nation was destroyed, exploited and distorted by Japanese and American imperialists. Secondly, the work shows an enlightenment-esque character regarding the ignorance of “the people” when it came to the value of ethnic cultural heritage. From 1953, as he devoted himself to producing replicas of Goguryeo tomb murals, Jung became aware of the historical value of ancient Korean art, and changed his orientation from that of a Westernstyle artist to a Korean-style artist. This change was an important source of motivation for Jung in writing The Story of Korean Art. Notably, however, it was above all the contemporary circumstances of North Korea, from the period of chaos following national liberation to the establishment of the country’s regime, that formed the background to the publication of Jung’s book, including his copies of the murals in Anak Tomb No. 3. Thirdly, it can be said that The Story of Korean Art was published in order to illustrate the teachings of Kim Il-sung: that the people must be taught a correct understanding of their outstanding past traditions, culture and customs, leading to the cultivation of a sense of patriotism. As indicated by the use of the term “story” in the title, Jung’s aim was not to produce a specialized academic text. However, I aim to determine the work’s significance by examining its broad view of Korean art history and comparing it with other North Korean art history texts published in the same period.