Ha Chong-Hyun: Retrospective at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum marks the first major North American museum exhibition of pioneering Korean artist Ha Chong-Hyun (b. 1935). Featuring more than 50 paintings spanning six decades, the exhibition explores how Ha challenges the conventions of painting through unconventional materials and techniques. Using industrial burlap, thick oil paint, fire, and everyday tools, he creates richly textured surfaces that emphasize the physical act of making art.

A leading figure in Korea’s Dansaekhwa (monochrome painting) movement, Ha is best known for his Conjunction series, begun in 1974, in which he pushes paint through the back of coarse burlap canvases to create distinctive patterns and textures. The retrospective traces his evolution from experimental works of the 1960s to recent paintings incorporating vivid colors, charred materials, and ash, revealing how Korea’s postwar history and rapid industrialization influenced his artistic practice.

Ha Chong-Hyun: Retrospective is on view at the Asian Art Museum (SF Civic Center) through Jan. 25, 2027.

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