파생과 원전: 한국의 개념적 미술과 미술비평

This paper examines art criticism to establish the theoretical validity of conceptual art, a defining aspect of Korean contemporary art since the mid-1990s. Referring to Luis Camnitzer’s conceptual art criticism, the paper revisits the issue where international and Korean discourses on conceptual art often dismiss the “local idiosyncrasies.” While sharing certain concerns with Western conceptual art, Korean conceptual art diverges in its social context, internal motivations, and practical approaches. The study traces the process of Korean conceptual art from the experimental art of the 1970s, through Minjung art and postmodernism, emphasizing its distinctive use of various media and the communicative function of images. By analyzing Ahn Kyu-chul’s works from the 1990s, the paper critically addresses the argument that his art merely appropriates Western models. In conclusion, the study identifies three defining characteristics of Korean conceptual art: the critical adoption and diversification of media and forms; the initiation of artistic practice from everyday objects and language; and the articulation of contemporaneity and cultural translation specific to the Korean context. These findings contribute to a concrete understanding of conceptual art’s particular trajectory and theoretical validity in Korean contemporary art.