Abstract

Korean Heritage Painting is considered a representative example of the stateled cultural and artistic policies during President Park Chung-hee’s second term in office. The Academy of Korean Studies houses a total of 12 Korean Heritage Paintings, among which Guwolsan District Guerrilla Unit, painted in the first year of the Korean Heritage Painting Project, is a significant masterpiece. It depicts the battle scenes of Captain Kim Jong-byeok and his unit, who operated from Mount Guwolsan in Hwanghae Province during the Korean War. The artist who painted this work, Kim Seo-bong, is noteworthy for having created realistic record paintings despite being an artist who had previously worked on abstract art at a young age. The painting also draws attention for its rich narrative about the Guwolsan Guerrilla Unit. Korean Heritage Paintings project, initiated in 1967 as a monumental state-led art initiative in the history of modern Korean art, regrettably has only two surviving pieces out of the original 55 works. This study aims to, first, examine the role of Kim Jong-pil in the National Record Painting project, as well as its purpose and objectives. Second, it seeks to explore the historical significance of the project by analyzing Guwolsan District Guerrilla Unit by Kim Seo-bong, focusing on the selection of the artist, the choice of subject matter, and the sense of mission held by the participating artists.