hankyoreh

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art unveiled the controversial painting, “Rice Planting” by the famed Minjung artist Shin Hak-chul on Jan. 29, three days after the museum took possession of the artwork. The painting, which was confiscated by prosecutors in 1989 on the grounds that it was “pro-North,” had been kept in storage for the past 29 years and was revealed to have suffered moderate damage during that time. “This was the first time I had seen the painting since it was seized, and the damage is getting worse,” said Shin. “I will continue to consult with artists and experts about whether I should leave it in this damaged state as historical evidence, or perform full scale repair and restoration work.” (provided by National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art)