What do we see in thiscanvas White Ox, Lee Jung-seob?
This painting by Lee Jung-seob printed on canvas was painted after the Korean War (1950-1953) in 1954. Korea was colonized by Japan from 1910 to 1945. After the end of the World War in 1945, Japan was forced to return to the island. US troops then invaded anarchic Korea, followed by Russia and China. Korea once again became a victim of war. The painter sent his family to Japan, where the situation was better than in Korea. He had stayed alone in Korea but missed his family very much. He was lonely, but still had to stay strong. The ox symbolizes the suffering but strong Korean people at this time, and it also symbolizes himself, who was lonely but had to stay strong for his family.
