Claude Rahir travelled many times through South Korea, walking along many ways, from Soraksan to Mopko, from Chaedju Island to Pusan, from Cheonju to Kyongju, sketching and drawing landscapes and daily life in subways, restaurants, concerts and so on.

He realized and exhibited many works while in South Korea, among which a mosaic for The Museum of Modern Art in Kwacheong, sculptures, calligraphies, drawings and aquarelles.

He also wrote "Pérégrinations au Pays du Matin Calme", which exemplifies his love for Korea. It was edited in Korea, by Mannam, and translated into Korean by Mrs Professor Kim Chung-Sook.

He dreamed of living, sometime, as often as possible, in that country which he loved like his own.

Claude Rahir also created monumental works shown in other parts of the world, such as Bolivia, Jamaica, French Guyana, Aegyptus, Italy, Japan, and, of course, a lot in Belgium (Brussels, Woluwé, Liège, Louvain-la-Neuve, Ottignies, Treignes, Havelange, Verviers, Fontaine-L’Evêque, Enghien…)

Except if you like to travel, you won't be able to see all his works; but you can discover them on this website.

About this exhibition

A lot of paintings and drawings exhibited here are telling anecdotes about Claude Rahir's journey through South Korea. They are also a reflection of his inquiries on Korean culture, philosophy, beliefs, and important people.

He especially had a very deep admiration for King Sejong the Great (15th century), an erudite scientist and great humanist who invented a new writing system, the Hangul, a phonetic alphabet intended to help make education more accessible to people. Hangul is often portrayed as "the best alphabet in the world".

- 2000 Pusan, Participation in the INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM for PEACE, initiated by the Korean sculptor Park Chan Kab, under the aegis of theUnited Nations & UNESCO, in a Memorial Park about the end of the Korean war, SCULPTURE (engraved stone) , with 24 artists from 21 countries

- 2000 EDITION of 40 Drawings from Korea

- 2002 Pusan , Participation in the INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL of ART Banners, (500 participants from 44 countries), on the occasion of FIFA World Cup in Korea

- 2002 Seoul, personal EXHIBITION (pictures and drawings), Chohung Bank Gallery. This exhibition was sustained by Belgian Embassy in Korea and by the Foreign Office.

- 2002 PUBLICATION of Rahir’s travel notebook (texts and drawings) "Mes pérégrinations au pays du Matin Calme", in 2 languages, Korean and French. Translator, Mrs professor Kim Chung-Sook, from Hanyang University, ed. Mannam, Séoul

-2005 Séoul : GWANHOON gallery, EXHIBITION Korean-Eyesed, Exhibition featuring paintings and sculptures of twelve foreign artists whose works have been influenced by their time in Korea and thus reflect their view of the country.

-2005-10-02 Brussels: Rahir exhibited Paintings inspired by Korea, during a Korean feast, in Woluwe-St-Lambert (Belgium). Exhibition organised by Simon-Pierre Nothomb.

-2006 Seoul, Participation in the Hi Seoul Festival, WORLD CALLIGRAPHY FESTIVAL

-2009 2 exhibitions, in Antwerp (gallery Love2Arts) et in Brussel, European Parliament