Kim Song-gun (; born 1945) is a North Korean painter. He works at the Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang.
Life Kim was born in 1945. He initially worked as a blacksmith for 3 years. After his military service, he started working for the Mansudae in 1971, and studied at Pyongyang University of Fine Arts from 1972 to 1975.
Work
Kim Song-gun is also called "Painter of the Waves" since he mostly paints sea and river sceneries with thunderous waters. Despite a very realistic depiction, the paintings carry a subtle kind of modern abstraction achieved through the dramatic presentation of the waves. One of these paintings, Waves of the Sea Kumgang, was noticed internationally due to a photo from Bill Clinton's state visit to North Korea in 2009 showing him sitting next to Kim Jong Il with the large, green waves of the painting in the background. Vladimir Putin was also photographed with Waves of the Sea Kumgang in the background, shaking hands with Kim Jong Il.
Awards 1999: People's Prize for Waves of the Sea Kumgang
Notes
External links Ingeborg Ruthe: "Mein Bild Der Woche: Parabeln auf Nordkoreanisch", Berliner Zeitung, 28 August 2012 (in German) "Hae Kumgang" and exhibition report on artdaily.org Why Dictators Love Kitch?