Chung-Hwa Ha In-Doo (b. 1930 in Changnyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea) was part of the first generation of university graduates after Korea regained its independence. In 1957, Ha became a founding member of the Contemporary Artists Association, a progressive group of young artists in their 20s. As a founding member of ACTUEL with contemporaries including Kim Tschang-yeul and Park Seo-bo, Ha avidly took part in the Informel movement until 1962. Ha also began producing works of geometric colour field abstract art while also incorporating optical art. With the introduction to the enlightenment of colors, Ha’s art began to reflect a deep appreciation for Buddhist ideas and concepts. This can be seen in works like <Hwe (廻)> and <Yoon (輪)>, within which the Buddhist virtue of Zen (禪) is deeply embedded. From the mid-1970s, Ha broke away from his previous geometric structures and adapted a new style with fluid curves and expanding symbols to express Buddhist ideas with greater depth and detail. Notable examples of such works include <Milmun (密門)> and <Mandala (曼茶羅)>. Ha’s <Mandala> series is especially noteworthy for embracing optical art and creating a unique world based on Buddhist symbolism. The works of Ha are regarded as the manifestation of the Eastern and Korean spirits of expression in Western abstract art and the realization of a new creative form. Ha’s works borrow elements from the traditional Korean aesthetics and formative spirituality of Buddhist art, Dancheong (Korean traditional decorative patterns on wooden buildings), folk paintings, and shamanic paintings. His masterpieces are recognized for their use of decorative colours and mystifying compositions as well as their embodiment of the philosophical meanings of creation and diffusion.

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