Kim Ui-shik's 'Bulhwa' painting is more than a religion

KOREA TIMES
By Chung Ah-young

Buddhist paintings, or "bulhwa," date back to the Three Kingdoms of Korea

KOREA --- If fresco paintings adorn the ceilings of the old churches in Italy, Buddhist paintings adorn those of centuries-old temples in Korea. "Bulhwa" or Buddhist paintings are artwork created specifically for Buddhist rituals, which burgeoned during the Three Kingdoms (57 BC to AD 668) and thrived in the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392)."It's Buddhist painting, but at the same time, is not," Kim Ui-shik, a traditional Buddhist painter, said in an interview with The Korea Times. [link]

Born in 1959 in Seongju County, North Gyeongsang Province, Kim spent his childhood near Nakdong River. He grew up watching his mother frequently visit a Buddhist temple, and consequently, developed an interest in Buddhist paintings.