The mountain remains still. However, the human perspective of the mountain constantly changes. In youth, the mountain is a target for conquest, but as time passes, it becomes an object of contemplation, and with the deepening of life, it ultimately becomes a mirror reflecting oneself. Many people climb mountains, but few truly read them, and while there are artists who paint mountains, it is rare to find someone who captures the spirit of the mountain on canvas. In front of the works of artist Kim Seok-hwan, who has climbed Bukhansan almost weekly for over 20 years, we are confronted with a question: Why do humans spend their lives gazing at a single mountain?
Kim Seok-hwan (born 1959) will hold an exhibition titled 'Kim Seok-hwan's Landscape Ink Paintings of Bukhansan' from October 29 to November 8 at the Jeonbuk Provincial Art Museum's Seoul branch in Jongno-gu, Seoul. This exhibition, part of the 2026 Seoul-selected artist series at the Jeonbuk Provincial Art Museum, is not merely a display of beautiful landscapes of Bukhansan. It documents the journey of an individual who has built his artistic world through long conversations with nature, exploring history and geography, and ultimately seeking a spiritual realm where humanity and nature unite. Notably, large panoramic works measuring 4.2 meters wide, depicting Bukhansan from all four directions, represent a significant achievement of this exhibition.
Yesterday's Bukhansan is Different from Today's
Bukhansan can be viewed from three perspectives: first, as the long pursuit of an individual; second, as a cultural tradition of Korean landscape painting that traces back to Jeong Seon; and third, as a philosophical reflection aimed at discovering the true self through nature. This is intertwined with the spiritual world of the great Korean thinker Dasuk Ryu Yeong-mo. For Dasuk, Bukhansan was a foundation for life and thought, while for Kim Seok-hwan, it has been a site for art and practice. Although they lived in different eras and expressed themselves differently, both posed questions about humanity, nature, and the origins of the universe while gazing at the same mountain.
Kim Seok-hwan began painting Bukhansan over 20 years ago. Every weekend, he would climb the mountain, setting up his painting tools to capture the scenery before him. He has traversed the Baekdudaegan mountain range and walked the Nakdong River ridge alone, as well as trekked through Japan's Northern Alps. Despite experiencing many mountains, Bukhansan has been where he has spent the most time. The towering granite peaks of Baegundae, Mangyeongdae, and Insubong rise toward the sky, while the main ridge, Bibong Ridge, Uisang Ridge, and Sangjang Ridge connect to create a dynamic mountain landscape. Even the same peak reveals a completely different face depending on the viewing position, season, sunlight, and clouds. Yesterday's Bukhansan differs from today's, and the mountain seen through youthful eyes cannot be the same as that seen through the eyes of old age.
A single mountain hike can be a journey, and ten hikes may be a hobby, but 20 years of hiking and sketching can be considered a way of life and a human endeavor. Since the 2021 exhibition of his landscape ink paintings of Bukhansan, the artist has continued to climb the mountain almost weekly, creating new works. By revisiting the same mountain, he has discovered forms and energies that were previously unseen. The completion of art is not achieved solely through special talent; it requires the diligence to maintain the chosen path over a long time and an attitude that does not settle for yesterday's achievements. Confucius stated in the Analects, 'The wise enjoy water, and the benevolent enjoy mountains.' Kim Seok-hwan's paintings embody the fluid movements of the brush like water and the unwavering diligence of mountains.
Respecting Jeong Seon's Techniques While Incorporating Personal Experience
To understand his paintings, one must first recall the perspective of Jeong Seon, who viewed the mountains and rivers of Hanyang. In the late Joseon period, Jeong Seon embraced the conceptual landscape painting tradition of China while expressing the actual appearance of our mountains and rivers in his own brushwork, opening a new realm of true landscape painting. His works, such as 'Geumgangjeondo' and 'Gyeonggyo Myeongseungcheop,' demonstrated that the mountains and rivers of our land could be independent subjects of art. Kim Seok-hwan acknowledges that Jeong Seon's spirit of true landscape painting is a significant starting point for his work. However, what he seeks is not to simply replicate Jeong Seon's techniques. He respects tradition but aims to express nature as he observes it with his own eyes and experiences it with his own body.
Another characteristic of his work is his understanding of the mountains of Seoul not merely as natural scenery but as historical spaces. While studying architecture at the graduate school of Seoul City University, he focused on the history, location, and topographical structure of Seoul, systematically depicting the mountains surrounding the city by examining the relationship between the mountains and waterways shown on old maps of Hanyang, as well as the concepts of geomancy and actual terrain. This is why he includes not only the peaks of Bukhansan but also ridges, valleys, fortresses, and temples in his paintings. The mountain is nature, but it is also human history, and the temple is a religious space that records culture formed within nature. The fortress is a human construction that has become part of the mountain landscape over time. Nature, culture, and human traces converge on a single canvas.
Kim Seok-hwan is an architect, painter, and poet. An architect sees the structure of space, a poet seeks meaning beyond objects, and a painter expresses that structure and emotion through lines, surfaces, and the nuances of ink. He explains that he aims to maintain the balance of the actual landscape based on a meticulous composition akin to a blueprint while capturing the emotional resonance felt in the field. His commitment to on-site work is particularly strong. He seeks to convey the sensations of the moment spent gazing at the mountain through rapid brushwork, pursuing the vitality and movement emphasized in traditional painting. In his works, ink is not merely black. The deep ink conveys the weight of granite, while the lighter ink evokes the air and mist enveloping the mountain. The vigorous strokes of the brush bring the cliffs to life, while the empty spaces suggest the movement of wind and clouds.
A Great Thinker Who Loved Bukhansan: Dasuk Ryu Yeong-mo
Among the notable works in this exhibition are large panoramic pieces measuring 4.2 meters wide, depicting Bukhansan from all directions. The mountain viewed from the east and the west is the same Bukhansan yet represents different worlds. When viewed from the south and north, the arrangement of peaks and the flow of ridges also change. The fact that the shape of the mountain alters with the viewing position offers an important lesson about human perception. No one can possess the entire world from a single viewpoint, and to approach the truth, one must constantly shift their perspective. Kim Seok-hwan's long-standing effort to depict the entirety of Bukhansan transcends mere geographical documentation; it is also an intellectual exploration aimed at understanding a world as completely as possible.
Here, we encounter another great spirit who loved Bukhansan: Dasuk Ryu Yeong-mo (1890–1981). In 1935, Dasuk moved to Gugi-dong at the foot of Bukhansan, beginning a life of seclusion while farming. He cultivated the land and engaged in physical labor while reading the Bible and Eastern classics, contemplating the origins of human life and death, God, and the universe. For him, farming was not merely a means of livelihood; it was a practice through which he learned the order of nature and confirmed the truths of life through labor. He spent many years reflecting while gazing at Bukhansan, and the surrounding mountains, including Bibong, became deeply embedded in his daily life.
The connection between Dasuk and Kim Seok-hwan is not merely a matter of imagination or concept. In the May 25, 2020, installment of Dasuk's series in Aju Economy, a painting by Kim Seok-hwan depicting the area around Bibong of Bukhansan was featured. This work captures the landscape viewed from the site of Dasuk's former residence, Noegok Mountain House. This fact holds special significance. Kim Seok-hwan has translated into canvas the mountain that Dasuk gazed upon and the space where he lived. The artist is aware of this historical connection and views his paintings through the lens of the spirit of Dasuk's philosophy residing in Bukhansan. The lives of two individuals who loved the same mountain converge in a single ink painting.
Dasuk cultivated the earth at the foot of Bukhansan while exploring the truth, and Kim Seok-hwan ascended the mountain, seeking the spirit of nature with ink and brush. One sought self-cultivation through farming and contemplation, while the other pursued it through hiking and painting. If Dasuk's thoughts were expressed in philosophical language, Kim Seok-hwan's reflections are revealed through the forms of the mountain and the changes in ink tones. While their lives cannot be equated, they share a profound commonality in taking nature as their teacher.
One of the core tenets of Dasuk's philosophy is 'Eolna.' He believed that humans are not merely beings trapped in physical desires and self-centered attachments but are meant to realize their true spiritual selves beyond that. Discovering the true 'Eolna' beyond the desires of the body is a significant task for humanity. His concept of Eolna is an original Korean philosophy rooted in Christian spirituality while deeply embracing the thoughts of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
When viewed through the lens of Kim Seok-hwan's ink paintings, interesting interpretations emerge. When one first climbs a mountain, they aim to reach the summit. They consider how high they have climbed, how quickly they walked, and how many peaks they conquered. However, for someone who has climbed the same mountain for decades, the summit may no longer be the ultimate destination. They begin to feel the rhythm of their steps, observe the changes in trees, and accept the presence of rocks and winds. The mindset shifts from conquering the mountain to existing alongside it. This philosophical transition aligns with Dasuk's pursuit of overcoming the self-centered ego.
Dasuk also contemplated a paradoxical expression of 'God who exists without being seen,' transcending visible forms and concepts of possession. While one cannot directly equate the blank spaces in ink painting with Dasuk's view of divinity, both realms can serve as mirrors reflecting the search for meaning in the unseen. In ink painting, the blank space is not an empty void; rather, it is a place where the energy and resonance that visible forms fail to capture reside. The same applies to human life. There are moments when the depth of life is determined not by how much one has gained but by what one can let go.
Kim Seok-hwan's Artistic World as an Architect, Painter, and Poet
Kim Seok-hwan's repeated act of painting the same mountain can be interpreted as a process of emptying and refilling oneself, transcending mere accumulation of landscapes. The mountain is always there, but the human heart is different each time. Thus, countless paintings of the same mountain can represent not only different appearances of the mountain but also self-portraits across different times. While Dasuk emphasized sincere practice, viewing each day as a complete life, Kim Seok-hwan has walked the path of his chosen art through each hike and brushstroke. Although the languages of philosophy and painting differ, the value of diligence remains the same.
So, who is Kim Seok-hwan? Born in 1959, he is an architect, painter, and poet who earned a Ph.D. in architecture from Seoul City University. After gaining practical experience in urban architecture, he established Tureul Architecture in 1994 and has served as an adjunct professor at Seoul Industrial University, Gwangju University, and Samyook University. His architectural works include Cheongpungheon, Mokma Library, and Dobong Wood Culture Experience Center, and he has continued creative activities that transcend the boundaries of architecture, painting, and literature. He has published architectural collections such as 'Originality, Calmness' and 'The Good Feel of Korean Traditional Architecture,' as well as poetry collections like 'Life and Walk.'
His painting activities also have a long history. He held his first painting exhibition at Cheonghwa Gallery in Seoul in 1995 and continued with exhibitions such as 'Bukhansan and Hanyang Fortress' at Seoul Library in 2014, 'Bukhansan' at Samyook University Museum in 2016, 'Bukhansan and Hanyang Fortress' in 2020, 'Seoul's Mountains' in 2022, and 'Inwangsan, Baegaksan, and Bukhansan' in 2023. In 2026, he was selected for the Gyeomjae Art Competition. His life, which has involved designing spaces as an architect, refining language as a poet, and recording the forms of nature as a painter, cannot be explained by achievements in any one field alone. It is more accurate to view the convergence of these three distinct realms as forming a unique artistic world.
From the life of this artist, we can discover an important value that our society is at risk of losing: the ability to love one thing for a long time. Today's world demands quick results. Artificial intelligence can generate countless images in an instant, and digital technology can intricately reproduce the appearance of nature. However, no matter how advanced the technology, it cannot replicate the seasonal changes, physical fatigue, admiration, solitude, and waiting experienced by a human who has climbed the same mountain for 20 years. Technology can generate images, but it is still up to humans to imbue those images with meaning. This is why Kim Seok-hwan's on-site ink paintings hold new significance in the age of artificial intelligence.
We have lived in an era that views nature merely as a resource. Mountains have become targets for development, rivers for utilization, and forests evaluated for economic value. However, nature is not something humans can possess at will. It is the foundation of life where humans are born, live, and ultimately return. Culture also does not exist separately from nature. Our landscape paintings, traditional poetry, temples, gardens, villages, and cities are all accumulations of the experiences of our ancestors who understood nature and lived within it. If the rocks and ridges of Bukhansan represent nature, then the poems sung about that mountain and the paintings created of it represent culture, and the beings who reflect on themselves while climbing that mountain are human.
Meeting Culture in the Depths of Ink and Ultimately Encountering Humanity
Humanity, culture, and nature are not three separate worlds. They influence each other and form a single existence. I would like to call this the spirit of the humanist. Kim Seok-hwan's ink paintings serve as an artistic conduit connecting these three worlds. His mountains contain the forms of nature, the cultural memories leading to the true landscape painting of Joseon, and the time of a human who has trained himself for decades. Here, the true path of humanity that Dasuk pursued at the foot of Bukhansan, the spirit of Eolna, resonates as a philosophical echo.
This exhibition at the Jeonbuk Provincial Art Museum's Seoul branch is an opportunity to share these artistic achievements with a broader society. The cultural and artistic foundation of the region meets the audience in Seoul, and the love for nature that an artist has accumulated over many years leads to new empathy. The artist expressed his desire to share the grandeur of Bukhansan's landscape, the living sense of presence, and the emotional resonance captured in his brushstrokes with the audience. He hopes that others can also feel the beauty of nature as he has.
Good art does not distance humanity from nature. Rather, it helps us rediscover the existence of nature that we have forgotten. A good artist does not confine the world within their work; they help us to see the world more broadly through their creations.
Bukhansan still stands to the north of Seoul today. Countless people ascend and descend the mountain, and the colors of the forest change with the seasons, while the granite peaks are illuminated differently by the morning and evening light. Once, Dasuk Ryu Yeong-mo contemplated the relationship between heaven and humanity while cultivating the earth beneath that mountain; today, Kim Seok-hwan ascends the mountain, grinding ink and holding a brush.
What we should see in his paintings is not just the peaks of Bukhansan. It is the sincerity of a human who has loved a single mountain for a long time, the spirit of culture that has depicted our landscapes through their own eyes, and the movement of a soul advancing toward a greater world while emptying itself before nature.
The mountain does not speak. However, it teaches much to those who gaze at it for a long time. Kim Seok-hwan's Bukhansan is now becoming an autobiographical account written in ink tones over a lifetime.
In the depths of that ink, we encounter the mountain, culture, and ultimately, humanity itself.
This is the story of the humanist's ink painting of Bukhansan.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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