지금 한국미술현장에서 보는 서예는 고립이고 단절이다. 필묵이나 한자(漢字)가 현장 문자생활을 떠난 지 오래되었고, 그렇다고 지금의 자판을 서예라고 생각하는 사람도 없다. 그렇다보니 서예에 생소한 관객이 전시장을 쉽게 찾을 리도 없다. 장르간의 연대도 마찬가지인데, 요즈음의 서구미술에도 열려있지 않고, 과거 글씨와 그림?시의 관계 속에서만 보아도 어떤 재결합의 정황도 쉽게 포착되지 않는다. 역사 속에서 서화동원(書畵同原)이니 시서화일체(詩書畵 一體)니 하면서 글씨와 그림의 과거 동거를 주장하는 것은 이혼남의 치근덕거림일 뿐이다. 미술 입장에서 보면 근대 서구미술 유입시기 이미 ‘서화에서 미술로’ 바뀌면서 글씨와 그림은 이혼상태였고, 급기야 그림이 서구미술과 결합하면서 서예는 근 100년간 혼자였다. 심하게는 ‘민족예술의 정수’라는 구호에도 무색하게 예술도 아니라는 수모까지 당하며 살아왔다. 

그럼에도 불구하고 필묵(筆墨)만을 꽉 잡고 외줄타기로 자가발전(自家發電)을 해 온 서예는 그 자체만 놓고 보면 활황(活況)장세임이 분명하다. 우선 전시라는 창을 통해 한국 서예의 현장을 들어가 보자. 전국적으로 300여 개가 넘는 공모전과 그 속에서 태어난 수만을 헤아리는 초대작가가 있다. 미협 서협 서가협만 해도 1000명이 넘는다. 이들은 주로 근 현대 서단에서 교육과 작가배출을 동시에 담당했던 서숙출신이고, 드물게는 10여 년 역사를 가진 대학 서예과 출신들이다. 이것은 미술 판에서도 쉽게 넘보지 못하는 숫자이다. 이러한 기세를 몰아 2005년도에는 세계미술시장에서 조차 열리기가 쉽지 않은 국제적인 서예비엔날레가 서울 전주 부산 등 3곳에서 열렸다. 대단한 한국서예의 힘이 아닐 수 없다. 

그런데 이런 장세를 자세히 보면 많은 문제가 도사리고 있다. 우선 공모전의 공급과잉과 작품 수준의 현저한 저하다. 그러다 보니 작품을 소비하려고 하는 관객이 없다. 그런데도 해마다 공모전 시장이 확대되는 기현상이 일어난다. 그 이유는 공모전이 새로운 형상성을 창조해내는 작가발굴을 표방하고 있지만 기실은 생산자[작가/응모자]가 곧 소비자[관객/수상자]가 되면서, 남발되는 상(賞)장사를 통해 돈벌이에 급급하다고 하는 데에서 찾을 수 있다. 이것은 예술이 아니라 예술을 빙자한 작가들의 생존 자구책인 측면이 더 강하다. 여기에는 서예 전시판에서 작가 비평가 기획자 관객 등의 엄정한 역할이 독립적이고 유기적으로 작동하지 않는 현실도 큰 기여를 하고 있다. 가장 객관적이어야 할 비엔날레마저 출품작가가 기획자가 되는 것은 물론 작가가 출품료를 내고, 비평가도 되고, 작품선정자가 되고, 관객도 되는 현실이다. 이판에 비엔날레의 권위는 땅에 떨어지고 마는 것이다. 

그러면 지금 서예를 두고 한국미술 현장에서 벌어지는 이 문제는 어떻게 해결할 수 있을까. 그리고 미술 판에서의 고립을 벗고, 본래 서예가 그러했듯이 서예 안 밖에서 그림은 물론 미술 문학 등과 새로운 관계 맺기는 어떻게 가능 할 것인가에 대해 생각해보지 않을 수 없다. 그런데 작금의 문제는 분명 서예를 하는 사람들이 해결해야 할 일이지만 문제자체를 서예만의 것으로 보는 것은 억울한 측면이 있다. 즉 이것은 분명 작가나 작품, 비평과 연구, 서숙이나 서예단체 운영 등과 관련된 서예계의 구조적인 문제에서 비롯되고 있다. 그리나 이 문제는 지난하지만 엄연한 현실인 일관성 없는 정부의 문자정책, 학교서예교육이나 서예행정 부재, 통신수단이나 필기도구 재료의 변화 등 서예를 둘러싼 정책이나 사회 환경의 변화와도 불가분의 관계에 놓여있다. 

그러나 당장 이러한 문제가 해결되기를 기대하는 것은 어렵다. 따라서 당연히 몇 가지 단계적인 조치가 필요하다고 보여지는데 우선 서예 자체의 전열정비가 가장 급선무가 아닌가 판단된다. 즉 이 시점에서는 서예의 영역확장을 위한 무리한 실험을 감행하기보다 문자는 물론 도구와 재료라는 측면에서 생활이자 예술이었고, 시이자 그림이었던 서예본연의 가치회복을 위해 작가들이 먼저 자신의 일상 문자 생활 속에서 서예를 담아내는 것이 순서가 아닐까 생각된다. 그 이유는 예나 지금이나 앞으로도 여전히 작가의 뜻 ‘音’이 문자라는 상(象)을 통해 드러나는 것이 서예이기 때문이다.

Groping for the Revival of Calligraphy

Calligraphy in Korean art world is very isolated. It has been a long time since brush and calligraphic characters became estranged from daily life, which is followed by a rapid decrease in calligraphy population. Nor is there good sign of coalition between calligraphy and literature. 

Nevertheless, the inside market of calligraphy is still active. This year we had more than 300 exhibitions introducing tens of thousand calligraphers. Calligraphy associations retain more than 1000 memberships and calligraphy biennale was held in Seoul, Jeonju, and Pusan in 2005.

Although the overissue of prizes results in poorer quality and waste of money, the number of calligraphy contest is still increasing. This phenomenon incapacitates serious calligraphers and critics from working. In order to solve this problem efforts must be made from both inside(calligraphers, critics, and associations) and outside(educational government and society) step by step.

- 이동국(1964- ) 성균관대 유교경전학과 박사. 월간미술대상 전시기획 장려상(2004) 수상. 현 예술의전당 서예박물관 전시기획차장.