"The Newspaper Ecritures, 2022–23" exhibition at White Cube New York presents Korean artist Park Seo-bo's last works. Courtesy of PARKSEOBO FOUNDATION and White Cube

When artist Park Seo-bo died in November 2023, Korea lost one of its most influential modern art figures, widely known for pioneering the "dansaekhwa" (monochrome painting) movement.

Some 30 of his final works are being exhibited for the public for the first time at the "Park Seo-Bo: The Newspaper Ecritures, 2022–23" at White Cube New York through Jan. 11. Created shortly before his passing at 91, these pieces revisit his experiments with newspapers in the 1970s, offering a reflection on time, memory and impermanence.

At the core of Park's "Ecriture" series, which began in the '60s, lies a meditative process inspired by Taoist and Buddhist philosophies. By incising repeated pencil lines into wet paint, he approached each canvas as a moment of introspection. In his final "Newspaper Ecriture" works, Park retained this spiritual essence while adding a new dimension by using dated newspapers as a backdrop, amplifying the theme of time's passage.

Park Seo-bo's "Ecriture No. 221109" / Courtesy of the artist and White Cube

The reverse side of Park Seo-bo's "Ecriture No. 221109" / Courtesy of the artist and White Cube

Park's return to "Newspaper Ecriture" was shaped by his awareness of his own mortality. Advanced age and terminal illness led him to work on a smaller scale, focusing on pieces that could be completed in a single sitting.

The series incorporates newsprint from publications such as The New York Times, Le Monde and Chosun Ilbo, with many French papers referencing his time in France.

The newspapers are adhered to "hanji" (traditional Korean mulberry paper), then layered with white paint and incised with gestural pencil strokes. This technique allows faded mastheads and text to peek through, creating a contrast between the fleeting nature of news and the enduring presence of art.

Park Seo-Bo signs the back of the canvas for a "Newspaper Ecriture" painting in this March 2023 file photo. Courtesy of White Cube

On the reverse of each piece, Park recorded the time and location of its creation. This combination of symbolic record and inscription led curator Hans Ulrich Obrist to describe Park's work as an "atlas" or "encyclopedia," reflecting the melding of the concepts of time and creativity in his art.

In several works, the dates of publication hold special meaning. For example, "Ecriture No. 221109" uses a February 1939 issue of Le Petit Provencal — with a note on the back reading, "This newspaper was published on the day my wife, YOUN MYEONG-SOUK, was born." Similarly, "Ecriture No. 221125" incorporates a November 1931 edition of L'Ordre, annotated with "This newspaper was published on the day I was born."

The "Newspaper Ecritures" bring Park's early ideas full circle, serving as the culmination of his six-decade artistic journey. His legacy continues to grow through the PARKSEOBO FOUNDATION, which plans to open two dedicated museums in Seoul and on Jeju Island in 2025.

Park Seo-bo's "Ecriture No. 230428" / Courtesy of the artist and White Cube