Ven. Seongpa is a prominent figure in the Jogye Order, the largest Buddhist sect in Korea. His spiritual journey began at the age of 21, and over the decades, he steadily rose through the ranks. In 2022, the monk was elected the 15th Supreme Patriarch, or “Jongjeong,” the highest symbolic authority within the order.
However, what has always accompanied Ven. Seongpa throughout his religious devotion is his deep connection to art.
His ongoing exhibition at the Seoul Arts Center, titled “COSMOS,” shifts the spotlight from Seongpa the spiritual leader to Seongpa the artist. It features over 120 works spanning decades and different mediums, including exquisite “geumni sagyeong” (sutra transcriptions in golden ink), lacquer paintings, sculptures and installation art.
Among the standout pieces are 3-meter-tall black lacquer pillars, which evoke the origin of the universe, and a striking painting installation that has 추천 been fully submerged, designed to showcase the lacquer’s waterproof properties.
Divided into six foundational sections — “Origin,” “Fluid,” “Illusion,” “Creation,” “Trace” and “Invisible” — the show pays special attention to the Buddhist monk’s study of materials used in his art.
From growing native mulberry trees for “hanji” (traditional Korean paper) to cultivating indigo to recreate “gamji” (indigo-dyed paper) from the 918-1392 Goryeo Kingdom, Ven. Seongpa is known for being involved in processing his base materials and pigments.
His studio is a trove of natural materials, brimming with lacquer, mulberry barks, seashells, eggshells and wheatpaste.