Suh Se Ok (b. 1929, Daegu, South Korea; d. 2020, Seoul, South Korea) received a BFA from the Oriental Painting department of Seoul National University in 1950. Solo exhibitions of his work have been organized at Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, South Korea (2016); National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea (2015); Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Houston, TX (2008); Maison Hermes, Tokyo, Japan (2007); Daejeon Museum of Art, Daejeon, South Korea (2007); and Uijae Art Museum, Gwangju, South Korea (2003), among others. Selected group exhibitions and international biennials featuring his work include Beyond Line: The Art of Korean Writing, LACMA, Los Angeles, CA (2019); Another History of Korean Contemporary Art, Museum of Art, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea (2016); College of Fine Arts Archives: Oriental Painting, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea (2015); Leeum 10th Anniversary Exhibition: Beyond and Between, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea (2014); Then and Now: Celebrating 60th Anniversary of The National Academy of Arts of The Republic of Korea, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Deoksugung, South Korea (2014); Closer to Contemporary Art II-Abstract Art Is Real, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, Ansan, South Korea (2013); Busan Biennale 2008: ART IS ALIVE, Busan, South Korea (2008); and the 7th Biennial de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (1963), among others.

Suh received the Order of Cultural Merit – Gold medal in 2021, and Silver medal in 2012 from the South Korean government and was awarded the 52nd National Academy of Arts Award, South Korea in 2007; the Artistic and Culture Prize of 13th Federation of Artistic and Culture, South Korea in 1999; Ilmin Art Prize, Seoul, South Korea in 1994; an Honorary Doctorate from the Rhode Island School of Design Fine Art, Providence, RI in 1988; and the Prime Minister Prize at the 1st National Art Exhibition in 1949. His work is in numerous international public and private collections, including the British Museum, London, United Kingdom; Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan; Ho-Am Museum, Yongin, South Korea; Ministry of Culture, Paris, France; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, South Korea; Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Providence, RI; Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario, Canada; Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea; Seoul National University Museum, Seoul, South Korea; Sonje Museum of Contemporary Art, Gyeongju, South Korea; USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA; Wonkwang University Museum, Iksan, South Korea; and the Yonsei University Museum, Seoul, South Korea.