The authenticity of artworks attributed to late Korean artists Lee Jung-seob and Park Soo-keun has been called into question following an exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Several paintings displayed as part of the exhibition titled “Korean Treasures from the Chester and Cameron Chang Collection” have been labeled as fakes.
Michael Govan Halts LACMA Exhibition Catalogue
Michael Govan, director of LACMA, announced on Monday that the museum would halt the publication of the exhibition catalogue in light of these concerns. The exhibition, which showcased artworks including pieces by Lee Jung-seob and Park Soo-keun, as well as ceramics from the Joseon Dynasty, concluded recently after a four-month run.
Authenticity Concerns Over Park Soo-keun and Lee Jung-seob Artworks
The suspicion regarding the authenticity of the artworks, particularly two paintings each by Lee Jung-seob and Park Soo-keun, had been present since the exhibition’s inception. Last week, LACMA convened an official appraisal session where four Korean art experts conducted a thorough examination. Among them were Hong Sun-pyo from Ewha University, Lee Dong-kook from the Gyeonggi Province Museum, Kim Sun-hee from the Busan Museum of Art, and Tae Hyun-seon from the Leeum Museum of Art.
Expert Appraisal of LACMA’s Korean Art Collection
According to the experts, paintings such as Lee Jung-seob’s “A Bull and a Child” and “Crawling Children,” and Park Soo-keun’s “Waikiki” and “Three Women and Child” were determined to be counterfeit. The experts criticized LACMA’s diligence process and noted a lack of understanding of Korean art by the museum.
Origins and Controversy of LACMA’s Korean Art Collection
The collection, originally owned by Korean collectors Dr. Chester Chang and his son Dr. Cameron Chang, comprised 35 artworks and objects acquired by LACMA in 2021. Questions about the authenticity of these pieces were initially raised by the Galleries Association of Korea following a report by the South Korean newspaper JoongAng in February.
As of now, LACMA has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
