He was an unprecedented type of spiritual leader.

After Sewon reformed Hanol-gyo to consolidate the organization, he also tried to transform the system: he attempted to transcend the traditional form of belief system through Art.

He introduced the 'Art of Enlightenment and Awakening'.

Sewon integrated art with enlightenment and awakening not just as a means to achieve a religious outcome but as an end: because he believed that the very nature of art is to show a way into the origin of art, the sacred inner dwelling consciousness, the beauty itself.

In doing so, he suggested new paradigms for both religion and art.

It is ‘Transformational’ because the artistic approach trans-forms the religious form; there is neither religious structure nor religious formation involved in the art.

It is an unconventional belief system because art is neither a system nor a belief: therefore, it is Trans-formational and titled the Trans (form)-religion and the Trans (form)-Art; for providing the inspirations; transcending the ego-mind structure; presenting the doorway out of the Ego-mind, to the state of being in connection with the inner dwelling divinity of the untamed pure consciousness; a guide to our true nature by art.

After he successfully reformed and stabilized HANOL-GYO, he resigned from all responsibilities and re-established his early work in the name of Trans-Art: he elaborated and clarified the core of the Super-Individual art in accordance with the essence of the transcendental philosophy that he acquired.

However, after the 50th anniversary, Hanol-gyo faced the major challenge of social turmoil such as the national crisis of the presidential impeachment and the North Korean nuclear missile confrontation. Especially, the religious taxation was imposed for the first time in Korean history.

In order to overcome the hardship of the conventional system and the limits of the old ways of spirituality, the board officially requested that the former leader, Sewon, help reform the organization again.

After accepting the responsibility, he proposed a new way of spiritual reformation: Hanol Spiritual & Cultural Movement of Art. It is a new form of spiritual movement and a new way of experiencing religion without religious obligation by integrating Art and Spirituality.

He provided Trans-Art “Optical Awakening” artwork as a learning device for the spiritual audience of the Hanol Spiritual & Cultural Movement of Art.

"Optical Awakening" can be regarded as an indirect experience of 'Spiritual Transcendence' and a 'Glimpse of Enlightenment' in the form of art – “the ‘Preview of the Ego dis-identification’ which entails the separation of Mind (Ego) & Consciousness (True Nature).

After the entire foundation fellows officially agreed upon the reformation at the general assembly, Hanol-gyo endorsed the Hanol Spiritual & Cultural Movement of Art, using the Optical Awakening to spread Hanol Philosophy and its spiritual teachings without direct participation of conventional religious activity or religious obligation, showing a new perspective in spiritual evolution.

Trans-Art served as a driving force of ‘Hanol spiritual and cultural movement of Art’, which can be considered as a revolutionary approach to the religious innovation by integrating art and spirituality in the face of a spiritual singularity.

Trans-Art came to play a key role in the 1st and the 2nd reformations of Hanol-gyo.

"Trans-Art can show us a path into the origin of art, thereby showing the origin of our consciousness: the original state of being before 'the composition of Ego-mind' assumed the possession of our consciousness. That liberated state of consciousness is our true nature and it is also the origin of the Trans-Art works where the formless inspirations and the light of creational sparks originate from."

Sincerely,

Sewon Shin