This study attempts to examine the art critics of Japanese painters in colonial period of Korea. In the early 1910s to the 1930s, many Japanese artists wrote critics about art world in Korea and Joseon Art Exhibition(朝鮮美術展覽會) on the magazines published in Japanese. Most of these magazines were important documents indicating the self-identities and artistic consciousness of Japanese artists as a local painter. Focusing on, especially, the issue of Joseon Art Exhibition, the most important exhibition of that time, the criticism movement will be contemplated.
The previous studies on Japanese artists in Korea mostly examined settlement in early modern Korea, development of group of japanese painters, the birth of Joseon Art Exhibition and other relationship with Korean painters. These studies are based on various written sources from the government magazine such as Choseon(朝鮮) and Kyongsong Daily Newspaper(京城日報) published by the Government-General of Joseon. However, these sources are difficult to strengthen comprehensive understanding of the japanese artists because the primary sources are limited to governmental journals and newspapers. While Choseon and Manchuria(朝鮮及滿洲), The Chosen Review(朝鮮公論) and other privately published Japanese magazines are critical materials that showed trend and awareness among Japanese artists in Korea at that time.
In 1910s, the discussion on art presented in the magazine was written by various writers such as Japanese art collector, bureaucrats and so on. During this period, debate on traditional Joseon art itself were active rather than current issue of art in Korea. Until 1910s, antiquaries and also collector who led the debate poured scorn on aesthetic of Joseon art and asserted declinism of Joseon art mutually. Those critical understanding on traditional art influenced Japanese artists in Korea.
Critics of Joseon Art Exhibition which focused on Japanese artists in Korea actively developed after 1920s. Criticism movement of Japanese artists in Korea which was prosperous with hosting exhibition can be read as trying to construct their identities between Japan and colonial Korea. Ichigi Murakami(村上一儀) was a leader initiating criticism of 1920s. Afterward, critics of Japanese artists in Korea concentrated on Joseon Art Exhibition until 1930s. Art critics of Japanese artists in colonial Korea showed process of continuous self-construction between artist and viewer, public and amateur, young and senior painter, local and central art world.