As the grand narration in art history goes, modern art took the place of classic art; contemporary art then replaced modern art. But this is far from what really happened. This threefold division of art is not consecutive, but concurrent. Classic, modern and contemporary art defined, rather than replaced one another. Such co-existence and dividing into three is clearly visible in the art scene in Korea. We selected three artists from each respective genre and thereby try to demonstrate the well-preserved ecology of Korean art scene.

Paik Nam June is an internationally recognized contemporary artist from Korea. His video installation enjoys a tremendous influence in international contemporary art world. B is regarded a groundbreaking maestro. Lee Wal Chong's painting is remarkable in its modernistic characteristics. His inspiration comes from experience of life in the Jeju Island, full of childlike candidness and well-contained humor. Kim Hyun Jung is an heir of the Korean painting heritage. She created a neo-classic style incorporating realistic fine techniques with pop art. It is worthwhile to note that the ages of these three artists lie in reversed order of the progress of the grand narration in art history. This in fact enhances the huge contradiction between the narration of art history and the reality in art world.——Curator Peng Feng