Moon Shin

Born in Takeo, Japan, his family moved to his father's hometown, Masan in current Gyeongsangnam-do. Since his mother's family never accepted the existence of his father, he had to set apart from her at 5.[http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=020&aid=0000161533 '문신 미술관' 마산시에 기증키로 한 부인 최성숙씨] Yonhap 2005-06-23 In need, he worked as a laborer in Tokyo, studying Occidental painting in Nihon art college since he was 16.[http://weekly.hankooki.com/lpage/arts/200908/wk20090804133924105150.htm 새롭게 부활하는 거장 조각가 문신] Weekly Hankook Ilbo 2009-08-04

After independence of Korea, he refused to participate in Korean national art exhibition given that the foundation was conservative in his viewpoint. Later, he joined the "Modern art association" of major artists notably such as Yoo Youngguk, Park go seok and Han muk in 1957 before he decided to leave for Paris.[http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=200612261805311&code=960202 ‘서양화 동인’을 통해 본 50~60년대 한국미술] Kyunghyang Shinmun 2006-12-26

He died of gastric cancer in 1995.

He moved to Paris in 1961 at first. His study in Paris encouraged him to immerse in modern art, which made him get into abstract paintings or sculptures focusing on wood materials.[http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=003&aid=0001984097 문신은 화가이기도 했다‥고양문화재단 '화가 文信'전] Newsis 2008-03-05 This period is meaningful in that the artist widened his work space in arts.[http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=001&aid=0002537550 마산 '조각가 문신의 초기 회화展' 개막] 2009-03-05

After a two-year stay in Seoul, he returned to Paris.[http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=001&aid=0003967717 고난에 찬 삶속에 藝道 정진했던 조각가 故 文信씨] Tribute on great sculptor Moon shin, Yonhap 1995-05-24 This time he paid attention to large-scale sculptors in abstract and imaginary structures, which called for invitation of several exhibition across Europe.[http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/culture/2012/11/01/0904000000AKR20121101075900052.HTML 문신미술관 '4인의 재불작가 초대전' 개막] Yonhap 2012-11-01 The outdoor exhibition in Le Barcarès brought him [http://mhj21.com/sub_read.html?uid=6362§ion=sc136 international fame] starting in Europe.[http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=001&aid=0001850009 <세계적 조각가 문신 일대기 출간>] Yonhap 2007-12-07

After coming back to Paris, his pieces achieved unique style in forms of symmetry, such as shapes of plants or creatures to fascinatingly demonstrate vitality.[http://herald.cauon.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=15189 Melodies of Moonshin, Ensemble Symmetry Concert in Korea] His pieces represent the beauty of Korean tradition through bilateral symmetry with images of life.[http://www.dgupost.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=715 University Museum: To Meet a Broader World], Dongguk Post 2008-09-05

Although early pieces during Moon's second term in France didn't have definite titles such as 〈Piece〉·〈Sculptor〉·〈Untitled〉, exact titles started to be presented at later phase. This period provided him with a series of great opportunity to introduce pieces in Italy, Switzerland, Germany and so on.Park, Raebu⟨한국의 명화 Korean painting in fame⟩ p.139, 1993

Returning to South Korea in 1980, he settled in Masan, his hometown,[http://eng.changwon.go.kr/multipleboard/BoardView.jsp?amode=itemView&cpage=2&groupNo=12095&boardNo=9&category=&org_code=&menucode=&searchType=subject&searchString= Art museums and halls, theme pme park and libraries for citizens] Moon Shin museum eagerly focusing on sculptors made of bronze, stainless metal.[http://www.trademetro.net/tags/%20MR.%20K.%20J.%20BYUN/PRESIDENT.html?catid=0&order=datestamp List of catalogue lists] Trademetro.net MOON-SHIN STAINLESS & BRONZE The difference from his anterior period was ingredients: He started to use much thicker materials such as ebony and pine trees.[http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=103&oid=020&aid=0000161533 '문신 미술관' 마산시에 기증키로 한 부인 최성숙씨] Donga Ilbo 2002-11-13

His philosophy comes from the idea that all the creatures hold the concept of symmetry and harmony in nature. Strong materials such as iron and metal drove him to accomplish his original objective.[http://www.moonshinart.com/mall/sinbi_gisa_view.php?sg_id=608 한국 추상미술의 원류 만나다] Encounter the original flow of Korean abstract paintings. His pieces show through patterns of Korean arts from the early 1950s and 1960s to mature abstract paintings until the early 1990s.

He constructed an art center by himself in Masan to commemorate his art pieces, coming after honorable degree of literature from Kyungnam University.[http://gcinews.asia/Article/ArticlePrint.asp?txtNum=1151&ASection=001027 Sculpture story] 2010-10-14

The French government honoured Moon by celebrating his artwork to enhance interchange relationship between Korean and French modern art. Notably, his works were invited to several exhibitions: invitation exhibition of Paris art center in 1990; Hungarian Natural History Museum in 1991; retrospective exhibition in Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (1992).

• Yi Eungro
• Kim Heungsou
• Park Naehyeon
• Whanki Kim

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.artnews.com/list/art-news/artists/moon-shin-retrospective-mmca-deoksugung-highlights-1234637901/#! Artnews - Moon Shin Restropective exhibition at National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Deoksugung, Korea]
• [http://www.moonshinart.com/mall/index.php Moon shin art museum]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060719191454/http://masan.go.kr/art/tc2/moonsin/ Changwon City Art center]
• [http://www.moonshin.or.kr/ Moonshin Museum in Sookmyung Woman's university]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20130621060633/http://www.kobay.co.kr/servlet/wsauction/item/itemView Catalogue of his works] Kobay.co.kr

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Category:1922 births

Category:1995 deaths

Category:South Korean sculptors

Category:20th-century sculptors

Category:20th-century South Korean painters

Category:20th-century South Korean male artists

Category:People from Takéo province

Category:People from South Gyeongsang Province

Category:South Korean expatriates in Japan