BIOGRAPHY
Moon Insoo is a celebrated South Korean sculptor and painter, renowned for his pioneering use of industrial materials such as cement and steel to create large-scale works that challenge conventional boundaries between sculpture and painting. Born in Korea in 1955, Moon graduated from Hongik University with a degree in Sculpture and later completed his graduate studies at the same institution. Emerging in the 1990s as a leading figure in contemporary Korean art, Moon’s innovative approach to material and form gained both national and international recognition.
Moon’s works are characterized by their monumental scale, raw textures, and integration of industrial materials. His cement paintings, a hallmark of his practice, merge the physicality of sculpture with the flat surfaces of painting, creating a dynamic interplay of texture, weight, and light. Through his use of oxidized steel and weathered cement, Moon captures the passage of time and the interplay between human-made structures and nature. His philosophy reflects a deep engagement with the contrasts of modern society—industrial and organic, permanent and ephemeral.
One of Moon’s most iconic works, Barrier, was installed at the Seoul Arts Center Sculpture Park in 1993. This massive structure of steel and cement is a powerful meditation on division and connection, both physical and symbolic. The work’s weathering over time has added layers of meaning, drawing comparisons to Richard Serra’s Tilted Arc for its bold presence and ability to provoke discussion among viewers.
Moon achieved critical acclaim early in his career, winning back-to-back special prizes at the Grand Art Exhibition of Korea in 1984 and 1985. In 1993, he was awarded the Kim Sejung Young Sculptor Prize, and his work was exhibited internationally, including a notable solo exhibition in Paris hosted by the French Ministry of Culture.
Currently, Moon Insoo continues to live and work in Korea, where his practice remains focused on exploring the relationship between material, space, and societal structures. His contributions to Korean contemporary art, particularly his innovations with cement and steel, have left a lasting impact on the art world and continue to inspire new generations of artists.
EDUCATION
1974 Graduated from Seoul Arts High School
1981 Graduated from plastic art department, art college of Hongik University
1983 Graduated from sculpture department, graduate school of Hongik University Art fair
2013-2023 Kiaf (Seoul)
2013-2013 Gallery Art Fair (Seoul)
2017-2018 Changwon Art Fair (Changwon)
2015-2023 Soaf (Seoul)
2017 Manif (Seoul)
2016_2019 Plastic Art Fair (Seoul)
2015-2023 Daegu Art Fair (Daegu)
2012-2017 Busan Art Fair (Busan)
2011 Miami Art Fair (Miami) +a number of others
PRIVATE EXHIBITIONS
2024 e.Jung Gallery (Seoul)
2023 Brown Gallery(Seoul)
2023 e.Jung Gallery (Seoul)
2022 IFC hall (Seoul)
2020 DGB gallery (Daegu)
2017 Geon Gallery (Daegu)
2013 Mokam Museum (Guenggi)
2012 Mokam Museum (Guenggi)
2009 e.jung Gallery (Seoul)
2008 Duroo Gallery(Seoul)
2007 Mokam Museum (Guenggi)
2004 Gowon Museum (Suwon Univ.)
2003 Masan MBC (Masan)
2000 Gallery In(Seoul)
1999 Lee Jung-hee Gallery(Seoul)
1997 Artnet Gallery(Suwon)
1996 Park Young-deok Art Gallery(Seoul)
1994 Park Young-deok Art Gallery(Seoul)
1993 Le Rond-Point Gallery (French Ministry of Culture, Invited by World Arts Center, Le Rond-Point, Paris)
1992 Culture and Arts Promotion Institute Art Hall(Seoul)
1988 Culture and Arts Promotion Institute Art Hall(Seoul)
1987 Batanggol Art Museum(Seoul) +a number of others
GROUP EXHIBITION
1987-95 Ecold de Seoul(Kwanhun Art Museum, Seoul)
1987-99 Korean Association of Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition(Art Hall, Seoul)
1985 Korea Sculptor Association Exhibition(Art Hall, Seoul)
1983-93 Seoul Festival of Contemporary Art(Art Hall, Seoul)
1981 Hongik Sculpture Association Exhibition(Art Hall, Seoul)
1980 Yehong Exhibition(Kwanhun Art Museum, Seoul)
INVITATION EXHIBITIONS
2019 Cross-section of Korean Contemporary Sculpture (Seosomseongji History Museum)
2014 Baum Sculpture Forum (Baum Gallery)
2011 lead to Suwon Maehall (Suwon)
2000 Marine Art Festival(Sejong Culture Assembly Hall, Seoul) / Groping for New Formality(Anyang Culture and Arts Assembly Hall, Anyang)
1998 Korea Association of Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition
(Wonseo Gallery, Seoul)/ May Art Festival(In Art Gallery, Seoul)
KOREAN CONTEMPORARY ART(Cerrillos Cultural Center, USA)
1996 Contemporary Art Communication Exhibition (Park Young-deok Art Gallery, Seoul)/ Korean Contemporary Sculpture Association Exhibition (Korean Culture and Arts Promotion Institute Art Hall, Seoul)
1993 Commemorative Exhibition celebration opening of Seoul Art Center Exhibition Hall(Seoul Art Center, Seoul)/A phase of Korean Contemporary Art(Pyo Art Gallery, Seoul)
1991 Bronze Fish(To Art Space, Seoul)/Works for Children's Playing Space Exhibition(Space Art Museum, Seoul)
1989 Small Sculpture Exhibition(Gallery Seomi, Seoul)/ and other exhibitions +a number of others
PRIZE
2011 Artist of the Year Award (Korean Art Association)
1993 Kim Se-Jung Young Man's Sculpture Prize/ 1992 Total Art Museum Prize/
1986 The 5th Korean Art Competition(the former National Competition) Grand Prix
1985-1984 The 3, 4th Korean Art Competition(the former National Competition)
SPECIALLY SELECTED
Work Collection
National Museum of Contemporary Art (Kwachun) / Institute for Culture and Arts Promotion(Seoul)
Pungsaeng High School (Sungnam)
Seoul Art Center (Seoul)
Chejudo Sculpture Park (Cheju)
Total Art Museum (Changheung)
Daewon High School (Seoul)
Daejon Expo Future Theme Park (Daejon)
Daewon Women's High School (Seoul) / Industrial Lease Building (Seoul)
Mokpo Sculpture Park (Mokpo) +a number of others
WORKS
