From left: Lee Choong-kwan, Secretary General of the Korea Mecenat Association; artist Jang Pa; artist Park Woong-gyu; artist Park No-wan; Kim Tae-young, CEO of Chong Kun Dang Holdings; and Kim No-am, Director of Art Space HUE. © Chong Kun Dang

Chong Kun Dang Holdings announced on the 13th that it had held the Chong Kun Dang Art Ground 2024 Artist Certificate Ceremony at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 12th. The company selected Park No-wan, Park Woong-gyu, and Jang Pa as this year’s artists.

Chong Kun Dang Art Ground selects three artists through two rounds of closed judging by a panel of experts in the art field. The selection is open to painters under the age of 45.

The three selected artists were highly praised for their ability to present new discourses and directions in contemporary art through their unique creative approaches. Each artist will receive an annual creative grant of 10 million KRW for three years. In the final year of the program, they will also be given the opportunity to participate in a curated exhibition.

Artist Park No-wan explores ordinary scenes encountered while walking through a distinct perspective, expressing them in an engaging and witty manner. Park Woong-gyu reinterprets the corruption and degradation of contemporary society through nature’s life cycles, transforming societal absurdities into artistic compositions. Jang Pa is recognized for reconstructing art history through a feminist lens, employing bold and vivid color palettes.

Park No-wan expressed his gratitude, stating, "Chong Kun Dang Art Ground is a valuable opportunity for emerging artists to broaden their creative horizons. Through this support, I will devote myself more fully to my practice and strive to present deeper and more profound works."

Kim Tae-young, CEO of Chong Kun Dang Holdings, remarked, "The artists selected this year have established distinctive artistic identities, and we look forward to their future endeavors as painters. Chong Kun Dang Art Ground aims to contribute to the trajectory of Korean contemporary painting, and we will continue to support the selected artists in the coming years."

The Chong Kun Dang Art Ground initiative was established upon the proposal of Chairman Lee Jang-han to create an environment where promising emerging artists can freely develop their artistic potential. Since 2012, in collaboration with the Korea Mecenat Association and Art Space HUE, the program has supported a total of 39 artists as part of the Arts & Business partnership initiative.

This year, two Chong Kun Dang Art Ground exhibitions will be held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. From September 27 to October 6, the 2nd Retrospective Exhibition of Selected Artists will feature works by 15 artists chosen in the 6th to 10th editions of the program. From October 10 to 21, the 11th Chong Kun Dang Art Ground Exhibition will present works by the 2022 selected artists—Park Si-wol, Oh Se-kyung, and Choi Su-jung.

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