Born in 1943 in Tongyeong, South Korea
Lives and works between Tongyeong, South Korea and Paris, France
Shim Moon-Seup (b.1943-), the pioneer of modern sculpture in Korea, utilizes ‘nature’ and ‘temporality’ as the core element of his works and continuously strives to pursue the quest for how to perceive and express his themes with the infinite possibilities of arts beyond the standardized genres and media. Being recognized overseas as well, he received France Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Grade Chevalier) in 2007 and the Excellence Award from the 2nd Henry Moore Grand Prize Exhibition in 1981.
He has had solo exhibitions in major venues including Gyeongnam Art Museum, Korea (2023); Yuan Art Museum, Beijing (2018); National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Korea (2017); Palais Royal, Paris (2007); Fondazione Mudima, Milano (2001) and Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo (1999). His work has also been featured in international biennials and group exhibitions, such as Tail of Tiger: ’95 Venice Korea Contemporary Art 15 People Exhibition, Venice Biennale, Venice (1995); the 1st Seoul Olympics International Sculpture Symposium, Seoul Olympics Sculpture Park, Seoul (1987); the 13th Sao Paulo Biennial (1975) and the Biennale de Paris (1971, 1973, and 1975). His works are included in the collections of major art institutions, such as the MMCA, Korea; Seoul Museum of Art, Korea; Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul; Hakone Sculpture Park, Japan and FNAC, Paris.
The artist participated in the recent group exhibition, Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s-1970s, held at National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul, Korea in 2023. The exhibition travelled to Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York and is currently on view until January 2024.
education
1965
B.F.A. Department of Sculpture, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
solo shows
2023
- SHIM MOON-SEUP: The Voyage of Time, Gyeongnam Art Museum, Changwon, Korea
2022
- A Scenery of Time, Perrotin, Hong Kong
- Gana Art Center, Seoul, Korea
2021
- Interart Channel, Seoul, Korea
2019
- Blume Museum of Contemporary Art, Paju, Korea
- Interart Channel, Seoul, Korea
2018
- Yuan Art Museum, Beijing, China
2017
- National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
- Blume Museum of Contemporary Art, Paju, Korea
2016
- Musée du Chateau de Kerguehennec, Bignan, France
- Arario Gallery, Cheonan, Korea
2015
- Beijing Tokyo Art Project, Beijing, China
2014
- IV Gallery, Paris, France
- Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea
2012
- Daegu Museum of Art, Daegu, Korea
2011
- Galerie Baudoin Lebon, Paris, France
2010
- Yuan Art Museum, Beijing, China
2009
- Sevrance Art Space, Seoul, Korea
- Muramatz Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Gallery 604, Busan, Korea
2008
- Hakgojae, Seoul, Korea
- Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea
- Nice Asian Art Museum, Nice, France
2007
- Palais Royal, Paris, France
- Beijing Gallery, Beijing, China
2002
- Ina Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Muramatz Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2001
- Art Sonje Center, Gyungju, Korea
- Galerie Rabouan Moussion, Paris, France
- Fondazione Mudima, Milano, Italy
1999
- Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1996
- Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea
1995
- Kodama Gallery, Osaka, Japan
- Galerie Rabouan Moussion, Paris, France
1994
- Ingong Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1993
- Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea
1992
- Sigma Gallery, New York, NY, USA
- Total Contemporary Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
- Galerie Rabouan Moussion, Paris, France
1991
- Gallery Hyundai Gangnam, Seoul, Korea
1990
- Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea
- Tsuzukawa Gallery, Hiroshima, Japan
- Gallery Humanite Nagoya, Nagoya, Japan
- Yamaguchi Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
- Kodama Gallery, Osaka, Japan
1989
- Grayson University, Chicago, IL, USA
- Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1988
- Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea
- Kodama Gallery, Osaka, Japan
1986
- Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, Korea
- Gallery Hanguk, Seoul, Korea
- Studio Das, Milano, Italy
1985
- Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1983
- Ryo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1982
- Ina Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1980
- Gwanhoon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1979
- Lee Gallery, Daegu, Korea
- Komai Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
1977
- Muramatz Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1975
- Hanil Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1972
- Sato Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1965
- Busan Gallery, Busan, Korea
group shows
2023
- Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s–1970s, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea
2022
- Four Poems: Korean Abstraction, Helen J Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- What is the Mind of White?: Reconstitution of Korean Modernist Painting, Date Gallery, Busan, Korea
2021
- Jamunbak Museum Project II, Gana Art Center, Seoul, Korea
- Kim Tae Ho and Shim Moon Seop, JJ JoongJeong Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2019
- 100 Years of Korean Modern Sculpture, Seosomun Shrine History Museum, Seoul, Korea
- Presence and Time, Seongbuk Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
2018
- Art Object in Everyday Life, Museum SAN, Wonju, Korea
- Stroll of Korean Art III, Museum SAN, Wonju, Korea
- Seen Beyond the Seen, Pohang Museum of Steel Art, Pohang, Korea
- Post ‘88_Seoul Olympics Sculpture Project, SOMA Museum, Seoul, Korea
2016
- Spring, the Year of France-Korea, Musée du Chateau de Kerguehennec, Bignan, France
2015
- Tiger and Wolf: 2015 Milano Expo Commemoration Korea-Italian Contemporary Sculpture, Milano La Permanente Museum of Art, Milano, Italy
2014
- New Acquisitions SEMA Salon, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
2013
- Brickactsen 9, Frankfurt, Germany
2012
- Contemplation on the Korean Modernist Art, Pohang Museum of Steel Art, Pohang, Korea
2011
- Gigachada, Daegu Museum of Art, Daegu, Korea
2010
- Record of Second Today, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2009
- No-el Sculpture Park, Seoul, Korea
2007
- Gwanganri Sea and Light Museum, Busan, Korea
2006
- Seoul Forest Outdoors Sculpture Symposium, Seoul Forest, Seoul, Korea
- Sejoong Kim Sculpture Awards 20th Commemoration Exhibition, Sunggok Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
- Imagination within Movement, Andrew Shyer Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2004
- Korean Contemporary Sculpture’s Position in Retrospect, Moran Museum of Art, Namyangju, Korea
- Stoppage and Movement, Seoul Olympics Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
2003
- What is Sculpture, Seoul Arts Center Hangaram Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
2002
- Aomori Contemporary Arts Center Outdoor Sculpture, International Arts Center Aomori, Aomori, Japan
2001
- Art of the Seaside #2, Saint Trope Lamatuel Shore, Saint Trope, France
- The 49th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
2000
- Gwangju Biennale 2000 Special Exhibition: Human+Being, Gwangju, Korea
1999
- The Essence of Space-Street of Contemplation, Busan Museum of Art, Busan, Korea
1998
- District of Form, Tokyo National Modern Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
- The Sculpture of Today ’98-The Trace of Material and Artist, Moran Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1997
- The 2nd Project 8, Total Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
- Seoul Museum of Art Opening Exhibition, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
- Tongyeong International Sculpture Symposium, Nammangsan Sculpture Park, Tongyeong, Korea
1996
- Ilsan Outdoor Lake Sculpture Park, Goyang, Korea
1995
- Tail of Tiger: ’95 Venice Korea Contemporary Art 15 People Exhibition, Venice, Italy
- Seaside: Korea-Japan Contemporary Art Exhibition, Nagoya Museum of Art, Nagoya, Japan
1994
- ’94 Kyoto Change of Capital 1200th Anniversary Commemoration Festival, Kyoto, Japan
- ’94 Seoul Change of Capital 600th Anniversary Commemoration Festival, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
- Adelaide Project, Adelaide, Australia
- Paret Project, Dachikawa, Japan
1993
- Korean Contemporary Art 12 Artists, Miyagihyun Museum of Art, Sendai, Japan
1991
- Quasi per caso, Milano Gallery, Milano, Italy
1990
- ’90 Seoul Contemporary Art Festival, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
- Opening Exhibition, Seoul Arts Center Hangaram Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
- The 1st Mihama Outdoors Sculpture Symposium, Hukui, Japan
1988
- ’88 Tsukashin Yearly Exhibition, Tsukashin Hall, Osaka, Japan
- The 2nd International Paper Art Biennial, Leopold Museum, Duren, Germany
- Arts Seen through the Hand, Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan
1987
- Toyama Today 1987, New Air around the Pacific, Toyama, Japan
- The 1st Seoul Olympics International Sculpture Symposium, Seoul Olympics Sculpture Park, Seoul, Korea
1986
- The 14th International Bronze Sculpture Biennial, Padova, Italy
- ’86 Seoul Asia Modern Art Exhibition, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
1985
- Contemporary Korean Paper Art, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, USA
- ’85 Hinooma, Ibaragi, Japan
- The 2nd Asian Art Exhibition, Fukuoka Museum of Art, Fukuoka, Japan
1984
- The 3rd Human Record ‘84/85, Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1983
- Contemporary Art of Korea, Tokyo, Japan
1981
- The 2nd Henry Moore Awards Exhibition, Hakone, Japan
- The 1st International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibition, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, USA
1980
- Asian Contemporary Art, Fukuoka Museum of Art, Fukuoka, Japan
- Korean Print Drawing Exhibition, National Museum of Modern Art (Deoksugung Palace), Seoul, Korea
1979
- The 11th Tokyo Print Biennial, Tokyo, Japan
- The 11th Canneu International Painting Exhibition, Canneu, France
1978
- Last 20 Years of Korean Contemporary Art, National Museum of Modern Art (Deoksugung Palace), Seoul, Korea
- The 4th India Triennial, New Delhi, India
1977
- An Aspect of a Korean Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan
- Central Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
- The 2nd Paris International Museum of Art, Paris, France
1976
- The 2nd Biennale of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
1975
- The 13th Sao Paulo Biennial, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- The 9th Biennale de Paris, Paris, France
1973
- The 8th Biennale de Paris, Paris, France
1971
- The 7th Biennale de Paris, Paris, France
1970-72
- Korean Avant-Garde Artists Exhibition, National Museum of Modern Art (Gyeongbokgung Palace), Seoul, Korea
public collections
- National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea
- Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
- Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
- Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul, Korea
- Total Museum of Art, Jangheung, Korea
- Seoul Olympics Outdoor Sculpture Park, Seoul, Korea
- Independence Hall of Korea, Cheonan, Korea
- Nammang Mountain Sculpture Park, Tongyeong, Korea
- Gwanganri Sea Light Museum of Art, Busan, Korea
- No-el Sculpture Park, Seoul, Korea
- Incheon Sculpture Park, Incheon, Korea
- Asadal Sculpture Park, Gyungju, Korea
- Drama Center, Seoul, Korea
- Mihama Outdoor Sculpture Museum of Art, Hukui, Japan
- Hakone Sculpture Park, Hakone, Japan
- Faret Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
- FNAC, Paris, France
- Université d'Evry, Evry, France
awards
2009
- The 8th Moonshin Art Awards
2007
- Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Grade Chevalier (France)
2002
- Korea-France Cultural Award
1987
- The 1st Sejoong Kim Sculpture Awards
1981
- The 2nd Henry Moore Awards, Excellence Award
1971
- The 20th Korea Arts Exhibition Awards, Speaker of the National Assembly Award
1970
- The 1st Korean Art Exhibition Award, Excellence Award
1969-70
- The 18th-19th National Exhibition, Minister of Culture Department Award
