Kim Song-gun

Kim Song-gun
Born1945 (age 80–81)
Chonma County, North Pyongan, Korea
EducationPyongyang University of Fine Arts
Known forpainting, watercolor
Notable workWaves of the Sea Kumgang
Awards1999: People's Prize for Waves of the Sea Kumgang
Kim Song-gun
Hangul
김성근
Hanja
金成根
RRGim Seonggeun
MRKim Sŏnggŭn

Kim Song-gun (Korean: 김성근; born 1945) is a North Korean painter. He works at the Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang.

Life

Kim was born in 1945. He initially worked as a blacksmith for 3 years. After his military service, he started working for the Mansudae in 1971, and studied at Pyongyang University of Fine Arts from 1972 to 1975.

Work

Kim Jong Il and Vladimir Putin shakes hands in front of Waves of the Sea Kumgang in 2000.

Kim Song-gun is also called "Painter of the Waves" since he mostly paints sea and river sceneries with thunderous waters. Despite a very realistic depiction, the paintings carry a subtle kind of modern abstraction achieved through the dramatic presentation of the waves. One of these paintings, Waves of the Sea Kumgang, was noticed internationally due to a photo from Bill Clinton's state visit to North Korea in 2009 showing him sitting next to Kim Jong Il with the large, green waves of the painting in the background. Vladimir Putin was also photographed with Waves of the Sea Kumgang in the background, shaking hands with Kim Jong Il.

Awards

Notes

  1. ↑ 김성근. cybernknet.
  2. ↑ Ruthe, Ingeborg. "My image of the Week (Mein Bild der Woche)". Berliner Zeitung. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  3. ↑ "Bill Clinton's North Korea Rescue Mission". TIME Magazine. 5 August 2009. Archived from the original on 8 August 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "KIM Song Gun". galerie son. Archived from the original on 6 April 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2015.