What is Sumuk?
Sumukhwa translates as ink wash painting. It refers to a style of painting using traditional materials and techniques of East Asia, including paper, silk, brush, color, etc. Colored paintings, which were a form of mural, and ink wash paintings are the two cornerstones of traditional Korean painting. It first started to develop on the Korean peninsula during the Goryeo period, a kingdom which reigned the peninsula over 1000 years ago. But it was not until the Joseon Dynasty some hundred years later that the full-fledged developments that gave rise to the uniqueness of Korean Sumukhwa began.
The Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale
Jeollanamdo aims to promote ink wash painting and promote it as global cultural content. This is because Jeollanamdo province is the place, where the Southern School Literati Painting of Korea originated and where the traditions of ink wash painting have been maintained the best. The first step to promote ink wash painting is the Jeonnam International SUMUK Biennale.
The 2018 Jeonnam International SUMUK Biennale was held in Mokpo and Jindo for two months from September 1 to October 31 2018.
During this time, the works of artists from China, Japan, Korea and other countries were showcased to promote ink wash painting. The event had the exhibitions of the paintings as well as various events, lectures and seminars to educate people and let them experience ink art.
The 2021 Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale
The next Jeonnam Interntional SUMUK Biennale was planned for 2020, but with the current situation it was pushed back to 2021, where it will be held from September 1 to October 31. Venue of this year’s biennale are the port city Mokpo and the county Jindo, composing of some of Jeollanamdo’s most beautiful islands.
Take a virtual tour through the exhibition
Due to the pandemic, it is very difficult to travel to South Korea at the moment. To solve this problem, so that you can still enjoy and experience the exhibition from all over the world, the organizer of the 2021 Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale came up with an ingenious idea:
They produced exact virtual replicas of the exhibition halls so that you can stroll through the exhibition and enjoy the sumuk paintings comfortably from your home.
For a VR-Tour through the 2021 Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale, click on the button below.