Pioneering Korean female sculptor Yoon Young-ja honored 10 years after death

A decade after her passing, pioneering Korean sculptor Yoon Young-ja is being honored with two concurrent exhibitions in Seoul. The shows at the Gana Art Center celebrate her significant contributions to modern sculpture in Korea and highlight her enduring legacy.

The "A Name Remaining Like Stars, Seokju Yoon Young-ja 10th Anniversary Exhibition" features her key works spanning different periods, from early plaster and terracotta pieces to later marble and bronze sculptures. Alongside her art, the exhibition displays archival materials, including photographs, videos, work notes, and diaries, preserved by her son and daughter, who manage the Seokju Cultural Foundation.

Founded by Yoon in 1989 with her personal funds, the Seokju Art Prize is the only women's art award of its kind in Korea. The second exhibition, "Seokju Art Prize Laureates Exhibition," presents recent works by 26 past recipients of the prize, showcasing a diverse range of sculptures, paintings, and installations.

Yoon Young-ja, an inaugural student of Hongik University's sculpture department in 1949, began her artistic career during the nascent stages of modern sculpture in Korea following the Korean War. Initially working with figurative forms, she evolved to create abstract sculptures, particularly in marble and metal, embodying her "life-ism aesthetics" through simple, organic curves inspired by nature, people, and motherhood.

Beyond her artistic practice, Yoon was an influential educator, serving as a professor and department head at Mokwon University. She also co-founded the Korean Women Sculptors Association in 1974, serving as its president. Her public art contributions include major commemorative sculptures for historical sites and figures, such as the Monument of Haengju Great Victory, statues of Jeong Yak-yong and General Kim Yu-shin, and the Sohyangang Dam memorial.