Modigliani, Kahlo and Botero on show

As the summer begins, Seoul welcomes exhibitions of great art masters such as Amedeo Modigliani, Frida Kahlo and Fernando Botero. These exciting shows offer a cool cultural getaway from the city’s hustle and bustle. Meet some of the early modern iconic artists at Seoul’s major museums.

Modigliani: Legend of Montparnasse 

"Reclining Nude with Loose Hair" by Amedeo Modigliani (Osaka City Museum of Modern Art)

The rare exhibition of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) just kicked off last week, presenting some 70 major paintings and drawings on loan from prominent museums and private collectors from all parts of the world. It’s the single largest exhibition of Modigliani ever held in Seoul.

“Modigliani lived such a short life and created some 380 works. Since his works are in small numbers and scattered across the world, it was hard to put together a show as comprehensive as this,” said Seo Soun-jou, director of the exhibition.

During his 14 years of an artistic career, Modigliani created about 380 portraits, characterized with distinctive elongated faces and almond-shaped eyes that sought to reflect the sitters’ inner selves and emotions. The exhibition guides viewers to see Modigliani’s transitions in style chronologically and view his personal life through the models.

His life is also well known for the dramatic, tragic love story with his young wife Jeanne Hebuterne, who committed suicide jumping from her parents’ apartment the day after Modigliani died, despite being nine months pregnant with their second child. 

Some of the highlights include the 1917 nude painting that depicts the full body of a naked woman. The painting shown at his first and last exhibition in Paris drew controversy as it was regarded as obscene at the time. The police demanded the gallery and the artist remove the painting from the exhibition. 

Although Modigliani is hailed for his distinctive technique and style of portraying people, he remained barely known in art circles. His works became popular among art collectors after 1922, when the Venice Biennale presented the first retrospective of Modigliani’s work. 

The exhibition runs until Oct. 4 at the Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul Arts Center. Ticket are 15,000 won ($13) for adults, 10,000 won for students and 8,000 won for children. For more information, visit www.modigliani.co.kr.

Frida Kahlo

"Self-portrait with Monkey" by Frida Kahlo (The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection)

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is also known for her posthumous fame following her dramatic and passionate life that has inspired generations of artists.

Soma Museum presents about 100 works of the Mexican artist, the largest number ever showcased in Seoul. The exhibition presents six of her self-portraits, for which she is best known. Among some 200 works of art she created, 55 were self-portraits.

Painting was a solace for the artist who suffered physical pain from a traffic accident and psychological anxiety from her troubled marriage. A bus accident in 1925 left her with serious injuries, including broken spinal column, ribs and pelvis, requiring 35 surgical operations.

Her troubled marriage with famous Mexican artist Diego Rivera resulted in numerous emotional works. A section of the exhibition is devoted to exploring their love-hate relationship and its influence on Kahlo.

The exhibition also showcases Kahlo’s hand-written letters, accessories and photos and videos taken with Rivera that help attendees understand her dramatic and emotional life.

The exhibition continues through Sept. 4 at Soma Museum. Tickets cost 13,000 won for adults, 10,000 won for teenagers and 6,000 won for children.

Fernando Botero 

"Dancer at the Barre" by Fernando Botero (Fernando Botero)

Figures Colombian artist Fernando Botero depicts in his paintings are far from the ideal slender body figures of men and women of today’s standards. A ballerina is portrayed chubby with a voluminous body line.

However, to answer the question of why he paints fat people, Botero once said: “No, I don’t paint fat people.”

The Botero exhibition at Seoul Arts Center shows the unique artistic world of Botero, presenting 90 of his paintings, including some of his most recent. He emerged in the international art scene in the 1960s and 1970s when Latin American artists were beginning to be recognized outside their continent.

The exhibition runs from July 11 to Oct. 4 at Seoul Arts Center. Tickets are 13,000 won for adults, 10,000 won for teenagers and 8,000 won for children. For more information, visit www.sac.or.kr.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)