▲ Artist Kang Jung-suk (aka Sohyundang)

Literary painting is a genre themed on apricot flower, orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo and a poem drawn and written with brush in ink on the Korean paper. Depending on the artist's preference, the objects can also include mountains and animals. 

Despite her 80 year old age, Kang's literary paintings show a great deal of the blank beauty which is common in many traditional Korean and Chinese paintings. She learned calligraphy under the instruction of a master calligrapher Kim Ueng-hyun (1927-2007) in 1980 and learned literary painting under the instruction of a Korean painting master Hong Suk-chang. 

As a result, Kang secured her level of technique in match-and-cut of the lines yet smooth flow of its curves and directions. A renowned figure in art world Kim Sang-chul mentioned about her works "Kang's lines are an expression of applications and flexibility. The lines are graceful and elegant and contain the characteristics of 'yangang' - the inherent characteristics of the brushwork."

The uniqueness also comes from Kang's choice of unusual objects such as pine trees, frogs, hens and eagles. This seems to be her effort in breaking the set frame of the genre. "This might seem that I become far from this traditional genre but it actually makes me closer to the essence of the genre."

The finality of literary painting is at its dignity. In other words, lines, objects and calligraphy appeared in literary painting are flowing into one point at the end of the day and that is dignity. 

Kang read oriental classics extensively and has a habit of making a memo of good words. She tried Korean alphabets onto the canvas instead of Chinese characters and created a fresh sensation in the literary painting. 

Her works are so famous that her fellow artists might easily point out her works among other works displayed in an exhibition and many of them have at least one of two of her works in their collection.

When asked of a wise word for young artists, Kang said "The foolish takes appearance while the wise takes spirit." 

▲ 고절