MMCA Director Kim Sung-hee, left, and Yokohama Museum of Art Director Mika Kuraya in Japan pose after a press conference at the MMCA’s Gwacheon branch, Wednesday. Newsis
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) opened a major exhibition on Wednesday, tracing eight decades of artistic exchange between Korea and Japan to offer a nuanced look at a relationship often described as “close, yet distant neighbors.”
Titled “Art between Korea and Japan since 1945,” the exhibition runs from Thursday through Sept. 27 at MMCA’s Gwacheon branch. Co-organized with the Yokohama Museum of Art in Japan, the show marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries in June 1965.
Featuring some 200 works by 43 artists, the exhibition examines how they navigated a shared yet fraught history shaped by colonialism, war, division and ongoing tensions. Organized into five sections, it follows the trajectory of cross-border exchanges from the aftermath of liberation in 1945 to contemporary solidarity movements.
The exhibition previously opened in Yokohama in December, drawing more than 37,000 visitors — significantly surpassing the museum’s typical attendance of 27,000 — with particularly strong interest from younger audiences.
“This exhibition shows that while relations between nations are always complex, individuals can still build meaningful connections,” said Kuraya Mika, director of the Yokohama Museum of Art, during a press preview at MMCA Gwacheon. “Korea and Japan may seem familiar to each other, but that familiarity can make the relationship more complicated and sometimes lead to conflict.”
The director added the exhibition aims to engage younger people from both countries who may be more familiar with pop culture than history or fine art. “I hope young visitors will come naturally to the exhibition, learn something new and reflect on the relationship between the two countries,” she said.
The exhibition opens with the experiences of Zainichi artists — ethnic Koreans living in Japan. Working under the dual constraints of colonial legacy and national division, these artists forged distinct paths within the Japanese art world.
Cho Yang-kyu’s 1957 work “Sealed Warehouse” is on display at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA)’s press preview at its Gwacheon branch for the exhibition “Art between Korea and Japan since 1945.” Newsis
Among them are pieces by Cho Yang-gyu, whose 1957 painting “Sealed Warehouse” depicted the harsh realities of labor with stark realism. The work reflects his own experience supporting himself through manual labor while studying art, while also evoking the existential dilemmas faced by Koreans in Japan during the Cold War era.
Curator Jeon Yu-shin highlighted how these personal histories intersect with broader geopolitical forces. Referring to Japanese photographer Noriko Hayashi’s project on Japanese women who moved to North Korea with their Korean husbands, Jeon said, “Through Hayashi’s work, we can examine both the circumstances faced by artists like Cho Yang-gyu and the realities that followed their choices.”
The exhibition also reveals archival materials, some on public display for the first time, including correspondence between Cho and Japanese critics, as well as documents related to artist Quac In-sik’s involvement in Tokyo’s Gallery Shinjuku.
A central section is devoted to Nam June Paik, a pioneer of video art, and his exchanges with Japanese avant-garde artists. His landmark 1986 project “Bye Bye Kipling” directly challenged novelist Rudyard Kipling’s famous line, “East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,” by linking Seoul, Tokyo and New York in a live satellite broadcast.
Nam June Paik’s “Bye Bye Kipling” (1986) / Courtesy of MMCA
The work demonstrated how technology could transcend national and cultural boundaries, bringing together a diverse group of artists, including composer Philip Glass, musician Ryuichi Sakamoto and designer Issey Miyake.
The exhibition also revisits Paik’s collaboration with the Japanese collective Hi-Red Center. Their 1964 performance “Shelter Model (Paik Nam June)” invited participants to order personalized nuclear fallout shelters based on their body measurements, offering a sharp critique of Cold War anxieties and state surveillance.
Subsequent sections explore institutional exchanges following the 1965 normalization of diplomatic ties, as well as more informal, grassroots interactions. Works by Lee Ufan and Park Seo-bo highlight early exhibition exchanges, while materials from galleries in Seoul and Tokyo illustrate the formation of critical networks.
From left, Lee Ufan’s “From Line” (1974) and “From Point” (1973) and Yun Hyong-keun’s “Burnt Amber & Ultramarine” (1976-1977) are on display at the MMCA’s Gwacheon branch for the exhibition “Art between Korea and Japan since 1945,” Wednesday. Newsis
Another section reflects on the 1990s as a period of shifting perceptions, as Korea began gradually opening to Japanese popular culture. Japanese photographer Nakamura Masato captured what he described as the “free-spirited” atmosphere of Seoul during that time.
“I was deeply influenced by the imagination of ordinary people,” Nakamura said. “Observing everyday life in Korea brought me more inspiration than any art historical movement,” he said, adding that ordinary Korean citizens possess imagination and creativity comparable to that of Nam June Paik and Park Seo-bo.
His work focuses on seemingly mundane urban details, such as roadside barriers designed to prevent illegal parking, which he interpreted as symbols of openness and ambiguity.
Nakamura Masato’s 1993 work “Korea and Japan” / Courtesy of MMCA
The final section turns to contemporary works addressing shared traumas, including the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, discrimination against Zainichi Koreans and ongoing historical disputes, suggesting a shift toward mutual empathy and coexistence.
Highlighting this evolution, MMCA Director Kim Sung-hee emphasized the role of art in bridging divides.
“Art transcends national boundaries and enables inspiration and exchange through interactions between individuals,” she said. “This exhibition is grounded in rigorous research and shows how artists have communicated across borders.”
She added, “No matter the circumstances, art can ultimately dissolve barriers and connect people. I believe there is still great potential in Korea-Japan relations.”
The exhibition runs through Sept. 27.