"Nohjeom" (Street Stall), painted by Unbo Kim Ki Chang between 1953 and 1955, shortly after Korea's liberation, presents a markedly different atmosphere from his previous landscape works. True to his lifelong dedication to portraying the emotions of ordinary people, the painting vividly captures a bustling marketplace full of human warmth. However, elements such as the refined palette stripped of Japanese influence, simplified forms, and divided composition reveal Unbo’s artistic transformation as he embraced a new era.
Unbo Kim Ki Chang
Lee Seungmin, LUXURY, 1 April 2025