The exhibition tells the story of a friendship between two artists from completely different cultural backgrounds and sheds light on their artistic points of contact. In 1961, Park Seo-Bo (*1931) from Korea and the Austrian artist Adolf Frohner (1934-2007) met in Paris during their UNESCO scholarship stay. In a phase of searching, the avant-garde in the art metropolis of Paris - especially informal painting and the art brut initiated by Jean Dubuffet - was an important impulse for both of them.
Not only in Park Seo-Bo's work, but also in Adolf Frohner's early work, the exploration of structure and materiality is central as the most important means of expression. The Paris years and the idea of actionism, which Frohner co-founded with Hermann Nitsch and Otto Mühl in 1962 with the Blutorgel (Blood Organ) action, led to his new artistic approach.
Park Seo-Bo dedicated his later work to Zen philosophy. He created Ecriture, his first series of works in the reduced form of monochrome painting. With these works, he creates an interface between Buddhist thought and the knowledge of Western art history. Today, the Seoul-based artist is considered one of the leading monochrome painters in Korea and a co-founder of monochrome painting in Asia.
The exhibition focuses on Park Seo-Bo's works from the last creative period, which are juxtaposed with Frohner's work from the 1960s. Photographs, catalogs received in exchange, newspaper articles and letters outline the long-lasting dialogue between the two artists.
Curator: Elisabeth Voggeneder