2023 ACC Asia Network <Shining on Your Days> presents paintings depicting daily scenes in Korea and West Asia in the 20th century. The Asia Culture Center (ACC) has been holding exhibitions under Asian themes every year since 2017 to promote exchanges in the Asian region. This year, we introduce the art of West Asia of the 20th century that is not often discussed in Korea.

The exhibition <Shining on Your Days> examines the artistic trajectory of six artists representing Korea and West Asia (Lebanon, Syria) in the 20th century from the same periodic background. Korea, Lebanon, and Syria have a commonality that all three countries went through colonization in the early 20th century. During the Japanese colonial period, Korean artists were introduced to Western art, particularly from France, when they were in Japan to study. Meanwhile, artists in Lebanon and Syria encountered European art trends more directly under the French mandate. This exhibition introduces artworks created with the unique painting styles of artists who have been experimenting various Western painting styles and converging their own identity with, in the global trend of imperialism in the 20th century.

Korea in East Asia and Lebanon and Syria in West Asia have historical commonalities as former colonies, but are located on opposite ends of the continent. Each of them has its own originality in terms of climate, natural features, and culture. The Korean title of the exhibition “ilsangcheomhwa (add painting to daily life)” not only implies the meaning of paintings depicting daily scenes, but also implies that historical experiences of Asia through the exhibition penetrates into our daily lives and expands our awareness of it. This exhibition seeks to provide visitors an opportunity to go on a journey while appreciating the paintings of Asian landscapes.