(Photo: Wikipedia / Gunnar Klack)
In a recent scandal that has shaken the art world, Korean art experts have accused the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) of several fake paintings displayed in a recent exhibition. Those paintings are distinguished as the works of two late Korean painters, Lee Jung-seob and Park Soo-keun, whom Koreans regard and value highly.
LACMA's Response and Exhibition Details
LACMA's director, Michael Govan, stated on Monday that the museum will cancel the catalog publication for the exhibition of the same name featuring pieces from the Chester and Cameron Chang Collection due to doubts regarding the authenticity of some of the works. The four-month exhibition, which featured paintings and ceramics from the Joseon Dynasty, ended on Sunday.
Suspicion surrounding the authenticity of the works began to surface early in the exhibition. Last week, LACMA organized an official appraisal session at the museum to address these concerns. Four prominent Korean art experts were invited to examine the contested pieces. These experts were Hong Sun-pyo, professor emeritus from Ewha University; Lee Dong-kook, director of the Gyeonggi Province Museum; Kim Sun-hee, former director of the Busan Museum of Art; and Tae Hyun-seon, curator at the Leeum Museum of Art.
Findings of the Experts
Consequently, all cracks looked extensive, and after very detailed scrutiny, the teams of art experts had to admit that the paintings "A Bull and a Child" and "Crawling Children" attributed to Lee Jung-seob and the works "Waikiki" and "Three Women and Chile" by Park Soo-keun were fakes. The experts did not hold back in their critique of LACMA's research into Korean art; the museum was accused of not understanding the fund.
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The artworks and objects that were presented for viewing during the show were owned by Dr. Chester Chang and his son, Dr. Cameron Chang, as was the show's title, "Korean Treasures from the Chester and Cameron Chang Collection." LACMA purchased the collection in 2021, and it is part of the exhibition where Korean contemporary art was meant to be showcased. However, the exhibition is now tainted by controversy due to the forgeries.
Initial Controversy and Media Involvement
This controversy started early in February when one of the South Korean National daily newspapers, JoongAng, printed an article expressing doubts about the authenticity of the artworks. This report led the Galleries Association of Korea to write to LACMA requesting further inquiries regarding the issue.
Instead, despite the increasing body of proof and scholarly reports, LACMA has not comprehensively responded to the allegations. The museum has not said anything regarding the matter, and many other art enthusiasts are still waiting for a detailed response from the museum.
The scandal has affected LACMA's reputation and exposed the problem that museums and collectors struggle to identify genuine art pieces. The art world continues to observe the situation, waiting for stronger measures and improvements to prevent such actions in the future. The heritage of artists such as Lee Jung-seob and Park Soo-keun must be saved, and their works must be exhibited in the way they deserve.
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