The Dansaekhwa movement emerged in the late 1960s, in the midst of extreme postwar material deprivations and an authoritarian political system. Although the term literally means “monochrome painting,” it is defined by the methods employed as much as its reductionist aesthetics. Ha Chong-hyun continues to experiment with technique and push the boundaries of expression in the Conjunction series. In recent years he has developed a new process in which he holds a flame to the surface of his paintings, creating a range of subtle effects as the chemical makeup of the paint is altered. In some works, the surface of white paint turns to a smoky gray, which Ha scrapes away in horizontal or vertical strips to reveal the untouched white pigment beneath.

With a new text by scholar Kavior Moon, this catalogue was published in connection with a solo exhibition at Blum & Poe, Los Angeles, November 12—December 17, 2016.