Dansaekhwa: Korean Abstract Art and Its Cultural Impact

Dansaekhwa is often translated as “monochrome painting,” and that description barely hints at the richness of the movement. These artists transformed painting through repetition, materiality, process, and sustained attention, expanding abstraction far beyond the canvas itself.

Written by art historian Dr. Yeon Shim Chung, this beautifully illustrated volume traces the history and evolution of a group of artists whose influence continues to shape contemporary art around the world. Featuring works by Park Seo-Bo, Lee Ufan, Ha Chong-Hyun, Kim Tschang-Yeul, Yun Hyong-keun, and many others, the book offers a thoughtful introduction to one of the most significant artistic movements of the twentieth century.

For anyone interested in abstraction, the relationship between making and meditation, or the extraordinary power of restraint, this is a book worth spending time with.