[클리핑] When newspaper and art met each other

Every morning, a newspaper carrying hot information is delivered to us. We get an overall idea of the world through newspapers, and newspapers reflect the phases of our times. In that sense, newspapers are just like a mirror on the world. A kind of mass media delivering news of the world to us: that is the definition we generally make of the newspaper. But what if we not only read the newspaper, but appreciated it as we would an art piece? We would be able to recognize the other side of newspapers.

In the 1920s, Korea’s first newspaper was published and Korean modern art also began at that time. Newspaper and art, starting out together, have had a close connection. Recently an exhibition showing the traces of the relationship between newspaper and art from their first encounter to now was held.

“139 Kwanghwamoon: Newspaper and Art, 1920~ 2000” was exhibited at the Ilmin Museum of Art located on the Kwanghwamoon intersection, in Seoul, from July 7 to August 25. The title of “139 Kwanghwamoon” doesn’t merely indicate the site of the newspaper office of Dong-A Ilbo. It means the starting point of Korea’s modern press. The subtitle, “1920~2000” refers to the age of Korea’s newspaper. Novels, illustrations, cartoons and caricatures that were published serially and about 190 art pieces of approximately 700 that Dong-A Ilbo introduced in the last 80 years were displayed. The exhibition was classified into section Ⅰ and Ⅱ to help the viewers understand the current of the times and appreciate the art pieces.

The pieces exhibited in section Ⅰ, “The Times and the Art,” were mostly opened to the public for the first time. Various works such as the Oriental ink painting, “Kimyungjulji” by Lee Do-young in 1930 and the oil painting, “Jokduri” by Chon Kyung-ja in 1968 were hung. In the middle of the hall was a special section, with a recreation of living rooms of the 1930s and an alley and an office of the 1950s. On the walls of the alley, there were campaign bills, movie posters and scribblings, which was interesting. And in the office, we could see things we can hardly ever see today, such as an old map of the world and an old-fashioned telephone.

27 pieces of “Women’s Dong-A” magazine cover pictures received the most attention. Each cover appeared to show the professional character of the person who painted the picture, and the titles were also unique. For example, there was “Intellectual composure” painted by Jun Sang-soo. Among the models, only one woman’s identity has been confirmed. She is the dancer, Shin Soon-shim, who was the leader of “the Little Angels.” The Ilmin Museum of Art is carrying on a search for the rest of the women in the cover pictures.

Section Ⅱ, “Art in the Newspaper,” showed about 300 items of serial novels, illustrations, cartoons and caricatures carried in the Dong-A Ilbo from its first publication to now. The illustrations and cartoons which were finished right before the deadline even had vividly erased traces on them, adding to the pleasure. Also, advertisements of 1950s products including ?walmyungsu the digestive drink, “Heugsatang” the soap, “Lucky” toothpaste and so on, along with the products themselves were displayed, awakening our nostalgia.

In section Ⅱ, we could also see the original cartoon cuts of “Kobawoo” by Kim Sung-hwan, which is still being published serially in the Munhwa Ilbo and the first four-cut serial cartoon, “Picture Story-the Orient and the West” among others. Section Ⅱ won the sympathy of the viewers, and was popular among adolescent viewers.

Korea’s newspaper and art, since the 1920s have grown hand and hand and helped each other. We have come in contact with art through the newspaper, which has assumed the role of narrowing the gap between art and the public. I hope the fruit of the past 80 years will continue in the 21st century.