"I did not start out as a painter. I am a practitioner of the Way, and my works carry the distinction of being created by someone who cultivates the Way."
An exhibition illuminating the spiritual practice and artistic world of Venerable Seongpa, Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, opens on January 10 at the Gyeonggi Provincial Museum in Yongin. Titled "Seongpa Seonye: The Artistic World of Venerable Seongpa," the special exhibition marks the museum's 30th anniversary and features approximately 150 works including lacquer paintings created in 2025, lacquer-dyed textiles, ceramic Buddha statues, and ceramic Tripitaka plates.
At a press conference held at the museum on January 9, one day before the opening, Venerable Seongpa said, "While Korean Wave phenomena such as fashion and food are drawing global attention, I have been disappointed that Korean fine art has received relatively less spotlight." He added, "I hope others will take courage from seeing an exhibition by someone like me, and that Korean art will step up its efforts."
The exhibition is organized into four sections. Part 1, titled "Yeonggeop (Eternity) - Distant and Far," primarily features ceramic Buddha statues from the Three Thousand Buddhas Hall created by Venerable Seongpa himself, along with lacquer paintings. Rather than forcing brushstrokes, the lacquer was allowed to flow like water and harden naturally as if blown by the wind. A lacquer painting installed in a 6-meter water tank is particularly eye-catching. "Lacquer has excellent waterproof and durable properties, and I believe there is no better art material," Venerable Seongpa emphasized. "Even a Picasso work could not be displayed submerged in water. This is only possible because it is made with lacquer."
Part 2, titled "Muraburi (Non-duality of Self and Object) - You Are Me," gathers ceramic Buddha statues from the Three Thousand Buddhas Hall symbolizing the past, present, and future respectively. The statues depict not a solemn Buddha but ordinary human beings—ourselves. Citing Rodin's "The Thinker" and the Eastern Pensive Bodhisattva as examples, Venerable Seongpa said, "In the West, one gazes at objects and smiles in enlightenment, but the Pensive Bodhisattva smiles while looking at one's own mind." He added, "I believe Eastern philosophy and art are of a higher caliber than the West."
Part 3, "Munjabanya (Prajna of Letters) - Beyond Words," assembles works themed around the Heart Sutra, the essence of Buddhist scripture. A tower is constructed from "Heart Sutra Ceramic Plates" fired from clay, and calligraphy written in lacquer is displayed. Part 4, "Ilcheyusimjo (All Is Created by Mind) - As the Heart Desires," unfolds colorful lacquer paintings with geometric patterns that the monk created freely "without any thought."
Venerable Seongpa said, "When I apply lacquer, all thoughts disappear." This is why he emphasizes that viewers need not interpret his works in a single way. "I did not paint with a preconceived idea of what to express. I painted without any thought, so viewers can understand the meaning for themselves," he explained. He added, "Even the same object looks dirty when viewed through a dusty mirror and clear when viewed through a clean mirror. Everyone has their own mirror of the mind, so what they see is all different."
Finally, Venerable Seongpa said, "As the saying goes, 'All is created by mind'—everything depends on one's state of mind." He expressed his hope that "through this exhibition, social conflicts may be somewhat eased, everyone's minds may find peace, and society and the nation may achieve stability."
Park Bon-su, Acting Director of the Gyeonggi Provincial Museum, said, "Through this exhibition, I hope visitors will experience up close Venerable Seongpa's dedication to traditional culture and his spirit of exploration and experimentation with art materials as both a practitioner and an artist."
The exhibition runs through May 31.