S.Sam Park
About S. Sam Park
Early on, Park attracted the attention of prominent artists and heads of state.
Byen Si-Jin, former university president of Jo-Joo Island, was
his private art teacher and mentor. The former president of South Korea,
Yoon Bo-Sun, personally awarded him many First Places in the national
competitions of the Mok-Woo Art Society. Park is still the youngest person
ever to have competed in these competitions.
After graduating from Jung Ang University in 1973, Park traveled to France,
where he studied painting and lived with other young artists in Paris.
His artistic style today clearly reflects the inspiration of the French Impressionists.
Sam Park returned to Korea briefly in 1984 to participate in the national
Olympic-sponsored art competition for the upcoming 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
With more than two thousand entrants in the competition, park won and
received a Gold Medal. Following the Olympics, Park's painting was purchased
by the Hyundai Corporation for permanent display at their corporate headquarters.
In 1986, Park became a member of the jury of Heart and Mind Artists Association
of Korea, which is the organization that assesses all artwork presented for
juried competition in that nation.
Park then returned to Europe, where he lived for the next fourteen years,
primarily in France, but also in Greece and on Cyprus. While living on Cyprus,
Park was commissioned by the President of Cyprus to paint the First Lady's
portrait. This and five other paintings by Park are currently displayed
in the collection in the Presidential Palace. A painting that Park did
while in Greece was of Michael Dukakis' birthplace, and was later purchased
by the former Governor of Massachusetts and presidential hopeful.
While in Europe, Park continued to study and to evolve his vision of
impressionism and hyper-realism. He established himself in
several Eurpoean galleries, and continues to exhibit in many of them today.
His works were written about in a variety of newspapers and magazines,
including the European Travel Press and Euroko, a Korean magazine in Europe.
Park came to the United States of America in 1994, where he continues to live on
the coast of Southern California. He has exhibited in several American galleries
and in March 1996 he first exhibited at the New York Artexpo.
In March 1998, Soho Editions, his exclusive publisher,
introduced his first limited edition works.