Review 20-3-2011 September

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the journal of the asian arts society

of australia

arts of Korea

TAASA Review

3 Editorial:artsofKorEa

JosefaGreen

4 spiritofjang-in: trEasurEsofKorEanmEtalcraft

MinJungKim

8 passagEtoparadisE:KorEanBuddhistpaintingofthElatEJosEonpEriod

JackieMenzies

11 WishEsforharmony,prospErityandlonglifE:KorEanBronzEmirrorsofthEgoryEoKingdom

CharlotteHorlyck

14 onthEWorldhEritagElist:thEhahoEandyangdongvillagEsofKorEa

JoanDomicelj

17 considEringbojagi:traditionalandcontEmporaryKorEanWrappingcloths

ChristinaSumner

20 groundEdintradition:thEcontEmporaryWorKofJoungmEEdo

MarianHosking

22 tEllmEtEllmE:AUSTRALiAN ANd KOREAN ART 1976 – 2011

SongMiSim

24 KorEancinEmatoday:KorEagoEstohollyWood

KieranTully

26 introducingthEKorEanculturalofficE,sydnEy

Young-sooKim

27 inthEpuBlicdomain:A KOREAN-AUSTRALiAN NEcKPiEcE AT ThE POwERhOUSE MUSEUM

AlyshaBuss

28 gEorgEsouttEr:1934-2011

29 collEctor’schoicE:A KOREAN MAEByONg VASE

JosefaGreen

30 rEcEnttaasaactivitiEs

30 taasamEmBErs’diary:SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2011

31 What’soninaustraliaandovErsEas:SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2011

CompiledbyTinaBurge

c o n t E n t s

Volume 20 No. 3 September 2011

taasarEviEW

THEASIANARTSSOCIETYOFAUSTRALIAINC.ABN64093697537•Vol.20No.3,September2011ISSN1037.6674Registered by Australia Post. Publication No. NBQ 4134

Editorial•email:[email protected]

Generaleditor,JosefaGreenpuBlicationscommittEE

JosefaGreen(convenor)•TinaBurgeMelanieEastburn•SandraForbes•AnnMacArthurJimMasselos•AnnProctor•SusanScollaySabrinaSnow•ChristinaSumner

dEsign/layout

IngoVoss,VossDesign

printing

JohnFisherPrinting

Published by The Asian Arts Society of Australia inc. PO Box 996 Potts Point NSw 2011 www.taasa.org.au

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in1991 isavailaBlEonthEtaasaWEBsitE,WWW.taasa.org.au

while ouR TRyST haS been DelayeD (STill),2010, yEESOOKyUNg, VidEO, SOUNd.

16:25 MiNUTES. diREcTOR: yEESOOKyUNg, fiLM PROdUcER: KiM JOONhA, PERfORMER: JUNg MARiE.

iMAgE cOURTESy ANd © ThE ARTiST. SEE PP22-23 Of ThiS iSSUE.

E d i t o r i a l : a r t s o f K o r E a

JosefaGreen,EditorgillgrEEn•PRESidENT

ArthistorianspecialisinginCambodianculture

christinasumnEr•VicE PRESidENT

PrincipalCurator,DesignandSociety,PowerhouseMuseum,Sydney

annguild•TREASURER

FormerDirectoroftheEmbroidersGuild(UK)

dyandrEasEn•SEcRETARy

HasaspecialinterestinJapanesehaikuandtankapoetry

hWEi-fE’nchEah

Lecturer,ArtHistory,AustralianNationalUniversity,withaninterestinneedlework

JocElynchEy

VisitingProfessor,DepartmentofChineseStudies,UniversityofSydney;formerdiplomat

mattcox

StudyRoomCo-ordinator,ArtGalleryofNewSouthWales,withaparticularinterestinIslamicArtofSoutheastAsia

philipcourtEnay

FormerProfessorandRectoroftheCairnsCampus,JamesCookUniversity,withaspecialinterestinSoutheastAsianceramics

luciEfolan

AssistantCurator,AsianArt,NationalGalleryofAustralia

sandraforBEs

Editorialconsultantwithlong-standinginterestinSouthandSoutheastAsianart

JosEfagrEEn

GeneraleditorofTAASAReview.CollectorofChineseceramics,withlong-standinginterestinEastAsianartasstudentandtraveller

min-JungKim

CuratorofAsianArts&DesignatthePowerhouseMuseum

annproctor

ArthistorianwithaparticularinterestinVietnam

yuKiEsato

FormerVicePresidentoftheOrientalCeramicSocietyofthePhilippineswithwide-ranginginterestinAsianartandculture

saBrinasnoW

HasalongassociationwiththeArtGalleryofNewSouthWalesandaparticularinterestintheartsofChina

hon.auditor

RosenfeldKantandCo

s t a t E r E p r E s E n t a t i v E s

AUSTRALIANCAPITALTERRITORY

roBynmaxWEll

VisitingFellowinArtHistory,ANU;SeniorCuratorofAsianArt,NationalGalleryofAustralia

NORTHERNTERRITORY

JoannaBarrKman

CuratorofSoutheastAsianArtandMaterialCulture,MuseumandArtGalleryoftheNorthernTerritory

QUEENSLAND

russEllstorEr

CuratorialManager,AsianandPacificArt,QueenslandArtGallery

SOUTHAUSTRALIA

JamEsBEnnEtt

CuratorofAsianArt,ArtGalleryofSouthAustralia

VICTORIA

carolcains

CuratorAsianArt,NationalGalleryofVictoriaInternational

3

t a a s a c o m m i t t E E

It hasbeen agreatpleasure todedicate thisissue to the arts of Korea, in celebration ofthe 50th anniversary of diplomatic relationsbetweenAustraliaandSouthKorea.Thishashowever created an impossible challenge:how to encapsulate the richness of Korea’spastandpresentartisticachievementsinoneissueoftheTAASAReview?Ofcourse,wehavenotattemptedsuchanunrealisticenterprise.Rather,thisissueaimstoprovidesomesenseoftherangeandrichnessofKorea’sculturalheritage and to touch on some of its morecontemporarymanifestations.

In this we are aided by a major exhibitionat thePowerhouseMuseum(PHM),Spiritofjang-in:TreasuresofKoreanMetalCraft,whichwill be launched late October. Drawingon iconic pieces from a number of Koreanmuseums, its focus isonKoreanmetal craftbutitsbrief ismuchwider.AsPHMcuratorMin Jung Kim states in her review of thisexhibition,thedisplayofbothhistoricalandcontemporaryexamplesofmetalcraftoffersanintroductiontoKoreanhistoryandcultureanddeepinsightintothespiritofjang-in-thespiritoressenceofKoreancraftspeople.

Several other articles in this issue tease outaspects ofKorea’s richmetal craft tradition.Wearepleased tobe able to offer an articleby Dr Charlotte Horlyck from the Schoolof Oriental and African Studies, LondonUniversity, which summarises some of herrecent research on Goryeo period (918-1392CE)Koreanbronzemirrors.

DrMarianHoskingintroducesustotheworkof JoungmeeDo, anAustralian-Koreanwhospectacularlycombinestraditionaltechniqueswith contemporary materials and designs.A striking necklace by another Korean-Australian, held in the PHM, is discussedbyAlysha Buss in our regular In the PublicDomainfeature.Itsparedbackmoderndesignisbeliedbythecomplextraditionalprocessesusedinitsconstruction.

Jackie Menzies’ article on Late JoseonBuddhist art (18th – 20th centuries),demonstrates a different aspect of Koreanartisticachievement.Hersurveyofpaintingsfound in the Tongdosa temple complexlocated in south Gyeongsang Province,illustrates the shift from the more refinedaristocraticstyleoftheGoryeoperiodtothemore colourful and vibrant compositionsfoundinlaterpopularJoseonBuddhistart.

Christina Sumner takes us through some ofthe intricacies of another distinctly Koreantraditional craft, namely bojangi – delightful

patchworkandembroideredwrappingclothswhichare,asshewrites,deeplyimbuedwithKorean aesthetic, cultural and social values.Readersmayrecallthe1998exhibitionatthePowerhousewhich displayed some of thesebeautifultextiles.

The growing appreciation of the value oftraditional cultural products is mirrored bythelistingofextraordinaryplacesofculturalor natural significance by the UNESCOWorld Heritage Committee. The Koreanvillages ofHahoe andYangdong have beenrecently placed on the World Heritage Listandwe are fortunate to begiven a senseoftheir enormous historical significance byJoanDomicelj,aheritageconsultantwhowasinvolvedinthelistingprocess.Alongwiththesurvivingbuildingsoriginallyfoundedinthe14th century, the wooden masks of Hahoe,usedintheHahoemaskeddance-drama(stillpracticedtodayandanImportantIntangibleCulturalProperty),are theonlymaskstobenamedKoreannationaltreasures.

Movingtothecontemporary,thisissueoffersa review of the recent major Australian –Korean art exhibition,TellMe, TellMe, fromthe perspective of Song Mi Sim, a Koreannational livinginAustralia,andapracticingartistandgraduateoftheNationalArtSchool.The exhibition juxtaposed contemporaryworks with significant historical examplesfrom the 1970’s by important artists of bothcountries. Jointly curated by Glenn BarkleyfromSydney’sMuseumofContemporaryArtand Kim Inhye from the NationalMuseumof Contemporary Art (NMOCA) in Seoul,the exhibitionmoves from theNationalArtSchooltoopenatNMOCAinNovember.

Finally, we are very pleased in this specialKorean issue to take the opportunity tointroduce the newly established KoreanCulturalOffice(KCO)inSydney.ItsDirector,Young-soo Kim, outlines its ambitiousprogramofactivity,bothcurrentandplanned,aimed at promoting mutual understandingbetweenKoreaandAustralia.KOFFIA– theKoreanFilmFestivalinAustralia–nowworksoutoftheKCOandwilllaunchanexpandedrangeofKoreanfilmsatitsfestivalsinSydneyin August and Melbourne in September.KieranTullygivesusapreviewofwhatcanbe enjoyed at these festivals, as well as anentertainingoverviewof thecurrentstateoftheKoreanfilmindustry.

Iwouldparticularly like to thankMin JungKimandChristinaSumnerofthePHMfortheexpertadviceandsupporttheyprovidedforthisspecialArtsofKoreaissue.

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nOctober, anewexhibitionopens at thePowerhouseMuseum in Sydney, part of

theMuseum’songoingexplorationofKoreanculture.Spiritofjang-in:treasuresofKoreanmetalcraft,developedby thePowerhouseMuseumin association with the National Museum ofKorea inSeoul, celebrates2011as theYearofFriendship, marking the 50th anniversary ofAustralia-Koreadiplomaticrelations.

A wide range of exquisite Korean NationalTreasures in metal dating from the KoreanBronzeAge to theendof the Joseondynastyin the early 1900s, together with selectedcontemporarymetalwork,willbedisplayedinSpiritof jang-in,offeringthroughthemediumofmetalcraftanintroductiontoKoreanhistoryand culture. While metal was chosen as thelinkingmaterialthreadforthisexhibition,jang-in,thespiritoressenceofKoreancraftspeople,is the conceptual thread that introduces theaesthetic sensibilities ofKorea. Together theyweaveanexpressivenarrative.

ThisisthethirdPowerhouseexhibitiontobringsignificant Korean collections to Australianaudiences.In1998,Raptincolour:Koreantextilesand costume of the Chosôn dynasty introducedmuseum visitors to bojagi, the delicate andlovely traditional Korean wrapping cloths.In 2000, Earth spirit fire: Korean masterpiecesof the Chosôn dynasty primarily showcasedceramicsofthelongJoseondynasty.(In2000arevisedandsimplifiedsystemofromanisationof Korean was released which removedapostrophesanddiacritics,asintherenderingofChosônasJoseon.)

AlthoughlongknownintheWestasthe‘HermitKingdom’, Korea occupies a pivotal positionin East Asia both politically and culturally.Korea’s role in facilitating trade in the region,aswell as cultural and artistic exchanges, hashadanongoing impact on its culture.KoreanpeoplemayhaveoriginatedinsouthernSiberiaandtheyappeartosharemanyaspectsoffolkculturewiththeAltaicspeakingTungusicgroupofpeopleinManchuriaandSiberia.Havinganethnicallydifferentorigin frommainlandHanChinese may well have played a significantpartincreatingKorea’suniqueanddistinctiveculture, despite heavy influences from Chinaovertheyears.Furthermore,thereisnodoubtthatenduringfeaturesoftheKoreanlandscape,withitsmountains,ricefieldsanditsdistinctivefour seasons,haveplayeda significant role informingKorea’sartisticsensibility.

The Korean term jang-in may be translatedas‘artisan’,‘craftsman’or‘master’.Thetermwas applied to people who developed aparticular skill, becoming dedicatedmastersof their chosen profession. Historically,however, jang-in were not accorded highstatusinKoreansociety.Thisexhibitionseekstoencourageanunderstandingofthespiritofjang-in and to re-interpret this concept freedfromitsoriginalcasteconnotations.

During the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910),Korean people were divided into classesaccording to their occupation. According totheGyeongguk daejeon (Complete code of lawsof the Joseon dynasty), promulgated in 1485,therewere four divisions of society, namelyaristocrats,farmers,craftsmenandmerchants.Thisdivisionwasknownassanonggongsangandwas basedon theConfucianperceptionthat thewise rulerwas at the top, followedbythefarmerwhoproducedsociety’swealth.Thecraftsman,whoonlyreusedthiswealth,and the merchant, who only distributedgoods,camethirdandfourthinthehierarchyrespectively.Forthisreason,theterm jang-in

carriedanegativecasteweightingand therewas a widespread view that jang-in weresomehowinferior.However,inrelationtotheKoreanaesthetic,jang-inalsohasaprevailingphilosophicalmeaning,especiallywhenusedwith jeongshin. Together, jang-in jeongshinmeans ‘the spirit of jang-in’ or perhaps ‘theessenceofthemaster’.

Jang-inbelievedinsettinghighmoralstandardsin their profession and the beautiful goodstheymadewere not necessarily createdwiththeintentionofsatisfyingclientsorthegeneralpublic.Instead,theirproductswereconsideredto be their ‘other-self’, made with whole-hearted devotion. Masterpieces produced byjang-ininvolvedtheinnerpassionandspiritoftheirmakersandtheytouchtheviewer’sheart.These superb craftsmen and theirwork ethichave in fact affectedwhole communities andthephrasejang-injeongshinhasnowexpandedto embrace professionalism in all fields incontemporaryKorea.

An essential aspect of jang-in jeongshin isthe deep respect that jang-in have for the

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s p i r i t o f j a n g - i n : t r E a s u r E s o f K o r E a n m E t a l c r a f t

MinJungKim

TA A S A R E V i E w V O L U M E 2 0 N O . 3

goldcroWnfromchEonmachong (TOMB Of ThE hEAVENLy hORSE), NATiONAL TREASURE NO. 188,

6Th cENTURy, cOLLEcTiON Of gyEONgJU NATiONAL MUSEUM, KOREA

5TA A S A R E V i E w V O L U M E 2 0 N O . 3

naturalorderofthings,whichunderliestheirunderstandingofthematerialstheyuse.ThisappearstobeinlinewithtraditionalthinkingaboutcraftsmanshipintheEast.

The fundamental attitude to science andtechnology in Eastern thought was thathumanbeingscannotcontrolnatureandthatthey should respect and follow the naturalorder. In this context, craftsmen learn aboutthematerialstheyareworkingwithinorderto express the natural order and harmonisewith it rather than to control ormanipulateit. Yi Kyu-bo (1168-1241), a scholar andpoet of Korea’s Goryeo dynasty (918-1392),emphasisedthisinhisDonggukisanggukjiporACollection ofWritings,when hewrote: ‘Doyou think that things are made by people?...Thingsare formed intobeingandchangedby themselves.Whatdare I knowandwhatdareImake?Idon’tknowifIwasthecreator.’

Similarly to theway jang-in learnabout theirmaterials, artists following jang-in jeongshinexpress their creativity in harmony withnature.Theconceptof ‘naturalness’hasbeendescribed as part of the prevailing Koreanaestheticbymanyscholars, includingKoYu-seop and Kim Won-yong. Ko in particularpoints out the ‘natural approach to creatingbeauty’(1986,p.166);heexplainsthatinKoreanarchitecture forexample, thenaturalcurveofthe wood was often used without alterationand that this can be described as ‘Koreanbeauty.’ However, whereas Ko’s approach tonaturalness concerns the visual, naturalnessinjang-injeongshinrelatestothephilosophical:the emphasis here lies in artists’ attitudesand theirstateofmindduring theprocessofmaking.Theseartistsbelievethattheirabilitytocreateimaginativeworkscomesfromnatureandnotfromtheirownwill.

The lastof themost importantqualificationsfor being a jang-in is to aspire to highly-developed skills. For jang-in, the acquisitionof skills is considered more important thanthefinishedproduct.Moderneducationoftenregardsrepetitivelearningasmind-numbing,and the principle of building skills throughpractice therefore faces obstacles in modernsociety. In the arts, technical skill has beendistanced from the creative imaginationand divorced from the supposedly higherpursuitsofthearts.Converselyhowever,theaesthetic quality of works created by handswithsuperiorlevelsofskillwillultimatelybegreatlyenriched.

The objects on display in Spirit of jang-in:treasures of Korean metal craft were not onlyselectedtoshowKoreanaestheticsandtheskillofitscraftsmen,butalsotorevealtheirsocial

contextfromtheearliestdaysofmetalworkinginKorea.Theobjectstellushowjang-inlived,whattheybelievedin,andhowtheyembeddedthesebeliefsinthethingstheymade.

It is assumed that bronze technology cameto the Korean peninsula from China, asevidencedby thedistributionofaparticulartype of Chinese bronze dagger called theLiaoning type, originally found in Liaoningprovince in China. During the KoreanBronzeAge(c1000-300BCE),thefirstmetalcraftsmen made a stylistic change from theLiaoning type dagger to a much narrowershape, producing what is now called theKorean-styleslenderdagger.

LittleisknownaboutthepeoplewholivedinKoreaduringthisearlyperiod,andtheexactfunctionofmanyoftheobjectstheyproducedisnotyetclear.However,itwouldseemthattherareandpreciousmetalcraftsproducedatthat timemust have been considered sacredobjects; it is also likely that the craftsmenwho made them believed in shamanism.Furthermore, it is not known why theseancient Korean craftsmen so intricatelydecoratedtheimplementstheymade,asthisentailed overcoming considerable technicaldifficulties. It would seem that they wereinspiredby their spiritual belief, rather than

moremundanereasonssuchasfunctionalityor beauty. Kim Won-yong suggests forexamplethatthefinegeometrically-patternedtwo-handledmirrorswhichhavebeenfoundmay have been designed for fastening to agarment,andpossiblyhadashamanicritualpurpose(1986:115).

Theinfluenceofanimismandshamanismcanalsobeseeninahilt-shapedbronzepiecefromNamgongrifeaturingasmallfigureofadeer.Deerhave special significance in indigenousKorean shamanism, still practised in Koreatoday. In addition, many art historians andanthropologists believe that the design ofthemagnificentgoldcrownsofthelaterSillaperiodmayhavedevelopedfromtheSiberianshaman’s headwear, as its tree and antlersymbolsreflectSiberianshamanisticbeliefs.

BoththeKoreansandtheChinesecategorisedmetalintofivetypes:blue(tin),white(silver),red (copper), black (iron) andyellow (gold),based on their understanding of the naturalorder of the universe known as the FiveMovements (ohhang in Korean and wuxingin Chinese). In this system there are fiveelements borrowed from nature - wood,fire,metal,water and earth - aswell as fivedirections and colours. Each of the fiveelements interacts with the others in an

goldcroWnornamEntfromchEonmachong (TOMB Of ThE hEAVENLy hORSE), TREASURE NO. 617,

6Th cENTURy, cOLLEcTiON Of gyEONgJU NATiONAL MUSEUM, KOREA

6 TA A S A R E V i E w V O L U M E 2 0 N O . 3

endlesscycleofcreationanddestruction.Asgold isofpremiumqualityamongst thefivemetals, Korean people simply called goldgum,whichmeans ‘metal’,becausegolddidnotneedthequalifyingadjective‘yellow’.

TheexhibitionfeaturesmanyfineobjectsfromtheSillaperiod(57BCE–935CE),whichisstronglyassociatedwithmetalworking,inparticulargold.The gold Silla crown and regalia, excavated inthe Gyeongju area, demonstrate the powerfulroyalauthorityoftheSillakingdomanditsrulers.Goldwasusedformanyoftheitemsfoundinthetombs,suchasgoldearrings,ringsandnecklaces,gold vessels and even gold shoes. The goldcrownsoftheSillakingshadreligioussymbolismaswellasbeingindicatorsofrank.Thecrownwaswornby the ruler, themaripkan, andhis family,whoinitiallyruledthroughthebloodofseonggol(the sacred bone) and jingol (true born), in thestrictlyhierarchicalSillasociety.

The gold crown and belt and the wing-likeprojectionof thecrownornamentweremadefrom thin sheet-gold and twisted gold wireanddecoratedwithpendantleaf-shapedgoldand curved jade ornaments. Excavated fromCheonmachong(HeavenlyHorseTomb),theseexquisitely fine objects clearly display thehighly skilled metal-working craftsmanshippractisedintheKingdomofGold.

MetalcraftpracticeflourishedwiththespreadofBuddhism, introducedfromChinaduring

Korea’sThreeKingdomsperiod(traditionally57BCE–668CE),thatistheBaekje,SillaandGoguryeo kingdoms. Many Buddhist ritualobjects were produced and this traditioncontinuedintotheUnifiedSilla(668-935)andGoryeoperiods(918-1392).

Goryeo, from which the English name of‘Korea’ is derived, is known as ‘the nationof craft’. The combination of ancient Sillatraditions and the influences of Song andYuanChinainspiredKoreanmetalcraftsmento create new works of exquisite beauty.The development of fine inlay techniques,for example, enabled them to transform ahard cold metal surface with what seemslike soft warm paint. The inlay techniquecalled ‘sanggam’, as seen in Goryeo celadonceramics, may have been borrowed fromwidely-practisedmetalinlaydesigns.

During the Joseon dynasty which followed,BuddhismwassuppressedandConfucianismbecame the Korean state ideology, inparticular Neo-Confucianism. Among theprincipal ideals of Confucianism were thecultivation of virtue and the developmentof moral perfection. Frugality was one ofthemainvirtues,with the result that highlysophisticatedmetalworkwasnotproducedasinthepreviousGoryeodynasty.

Itwasduring the Joseonperiodhowever thatmetal craft objectsweremorewidelyusedby

commonersandbecamemuchmorefunctional.TheGyeongdojapjiofYu-Deukgong(1749~1807),whichdocumentsseasonalcustomsinSeoulinthelatterpartofthe18thcentury,writesofthepopularity of a particular type of metal alloycalledyugi,acombinationof71.43%copperand28.57% tin. It states that: “yugi is valued andfavoured by the people; tableware includingrice bowls, soup bowls, dishes for vegetablesanddishesformeatareallmadeofyugi.Evenbasins and chamber pots are made of yugi.”Duringthisperiod,almostallhouseholdsusedmetal tablewareandspoonsandthis traditionhascontinuedintocontemporaryKorea.

Duringthefirsthalfofthe20thcentury,Koreancraftsmen suffered from the peninsula’sunfortunate history. Japan’s occupationof Korea began in 1910, ending the Joseondynasty,andlastedfor35years.Duringthesedarkyears,eventhoughamoderneducationsystem started to form, artistic freedom forcraftsmanwaslimitedandtheKoreanidentityand Korean traditions were suppressed infavouroftheJapanesealternative.

Furthermore,WorldWarIIhadatragic impacton metal crafts as well as other Korean craftpractices.Householdmetalobjectsweremelteddown to make weapons, and the number ofmetal craftsmen was dramatically reduced.With the end of World War II, Korea gainedsuddenliberationfromJapan.Howevershortlyafterwards,Korea’snorthernhalfwasoccupied

niRvana,2004, LEE KyUNg-JA, STEEL, gOLd ANd SiVLER iNLAy, cOLLEcTiON Of LEEUM, SAMSUNg MUSEUM Of ART


by Soviet troops and the southern half byAmerican troops. In the three-year KoreanWar which followed in June 1950, the Koreanpeninsulasufferedhugelossoflifeandproperty.Bothnorthandsouthwerereducedtoruinsandtheirpopulationsplungedintoabsolutepoverty.Insuchdirecircumstances,onlyaveryfewcouldeventhinkaboutthepracticeofmetalcraft.

The Korean people have overcome the painofthefirsthalfofthe20thcenturyandhaveachieved remarkable economic success withrapidindustrialisationoverthelastdecades.

This exhibition introduces selectedcontemporarymetalcraftartistswhohavebeenactively practising in Korea since the 1970s.Modernisation and the university educationsystemhaveproducedremarkablemetalcraftartistswho engagewith the international artworld. Some borrow traditional design butusenew techniques; someborrow traditionaltechniquestocreatenewdesign.Someyoungartiststakeatrulyinclusive,globalapproach,trying out both new techniques and newmaterials.Indoingso,theychallengetheirownartistic,visualandconceptualcreativity.

Korean artists living abroad have played asignificant part in the preservation of Koreanmetalcraftbycreatingmagnificentpieceswhichborrow from their traditionalheritageandalsorespondtothecultureoftheirnewhome.Koreanborn Australian artist Joungmee Do stronglyremindsusof‘thespiritofjang-in’inherpracticeofthetraditionalKoreanmetalmakingtechniquecalledjjoeumipsa(chiselledinlay).JoungmeeisayoungartistwhostudiedatKookminUnversityinKoreaandcametoAustraliain1997,attainingher MFA from the Gold and SilversmithingDepartmentatRMITUniversityinMelbourne.

AnumberofKoreancraftspeoplehavebeendesignated as Important Intangible CulturalProperties: the Korean government hasofficially labelled them ‘jang-in’. As part ofthe government’s strategy of conservationin the face of rapid modernisation, thesecraftspeopleareexpectedtoproject‘authenticKoreaness’ in their work. They face thedilemma of choosing between replicatinghistorical objects or creating new forms thatreflectcontemporarysociety.Asartists,shouldtheyadheretostrictlytraditionalmethodsorexpress their artistic creativity through thenewmaterialsandmethodsavailabletoday?

Isuggestthatkeepingthetruespiritofjang-inalive in the 21st century is best achievedbycontinuously challenging and creating newways that reflect contemporary society. Asdiscussedearlier,theprincipleofthespiritofjang-in liesinrespectingtheforcesofnature.

If craftspeople follow this approach withintegrity,theirworkwillnaturallyreflecttheirrootsandtheirownhistory,regardlessoftheirconsciousintention.

Thisexhibitionaimstorevisit theconceptofjang-in and to reflect on themeaning of theterm. I hope that visitorswill begin to viewthesecraftspeopleandtheirworkinadifferentway, that they will come to understand thetrue essence of jang-in and may find someofthespiritualqualitiesofthejang-inwithinthemselves. Lastly, I will leave you with aphrase by the American intellectual WalterLippmann (1889 – 1974) which I believereflects the spirit of jang-in: ‘Let a humanthrowthe energiesofhis soul into themakingof

something, and the instinct ofworkmanshipwilltakecareofthishonesty.’

Min Jung Kim is curator of Asian Arts & design at the

Powerhouse Museum.

rEfErEncEsJiang, f. 1983: Wo Ai Yan’an Jianzhi, Shanghai, Renmin Meishu

chubanshe.

Jin, Z. 1987: Shaanbei jianzhi zhong de tutang wenhua. Zhongguo

Minjian Meishu Yanjiu, 533.

Juliano, A. 1981: Treasures of China, New york, Richard Marek

Morels Publishers.

Tan, Q. 2000: Zhongguo banhua bainian bianyi. Yishujia, 321.

Zhou, A. 2004: yan’an Luyi de chuanli yuanqi ji qi meishu jiaoyu

Meishuyanjiu, 25.

http//www.longmarchproject.com

sEatEdBuddha,NATiONAL TREASURE NO.79, 706 cE, cOLLEcTiON Of ThE NATiONAL MUSEUM Of KOREA


uddhist paintings in the late Joseonperiod of Korea (c1600s-1800s) are

distinguished by their colour, vibrancyand dense compositions. In contrast to therefined elegance and understatement of thecourt-commissioned images of the previousGoryeo period (918-1392), Joseon BuddhistpaintingsconstituteamorerobustandpopularexpressionofBuddhistbeliefs.ThisarticlewillconsidersomeoftheBuddhistpaintingsinthecollection of the major temple of Tongdosa,locatedinYangsandistrictinsouthGyeongsangProvince(westofthemajorport-cityofBusan).

Buddhism had flourished in Korea fromthe introduction of Mahayana teachings inthe late 4th century through to the Goryeoperiod. Korean Buddhism was an amalgamof different teachings. For example, oneof the most popular teachings was theAvatamsaka(K.Hwaom;E.FlowerGarland)Sutra, the basis of the Pure Land belief inthe Western Paradise of the Amitabha (inKorean Amitabul) Buddha. Also popularwere meditation-based schools of practice,calledSeon,whichprosperedthroughouttheGoryeoperiod.TheGoryeoperiod also sawthe influx of Tibetan Buddhism followingtheMongoldefeatofKoreaandtheirruleofChinaduringtheYuandynasty(1279-1368).

Regrettably theBuddhist sanghadeterioratedtowards the end of the Goryeo period dueto corruption and neglect. This resulted in apersecution of Buddhism thatwas expandedin the succeeding Joseondynasty (1392-1910)whenNeo-Confucianismwas adopted as thestate ideology. Buddhism suffered, with thenumberoftemplesandmonksgreatlyreduced.

However popular support grew for thereligion for various reasons. For example,Buddhistceremoniesforthesalvationofsoulsand thepraying for rain,wereheldregularlyandwithgreatenthusiasmsinceConfucianismhadnothingtoofferagainstnaturaldisasters,disease, invasions and other calamities(KoreanBuddhistResearchInstitute1995:180).Buddhismgainedfurthersupportwhenmonkmilitia,ratherthanthegovernmentarmy,heldoff foreign invasions, notably those of theJapanesein1592andtheChinesein1627.ThedestructionoftempleswroughtbytheJapaneseinvasion was a catalyst for the outburst ofregionalpaintingbygroupsofmonkpaintersthat saw a flowering of Buddhist art in theearly17thcentury.

By the second half of the 17th century,patronageofBuddhistarthadshifted to thebroader community whose taste shapeda different style of Buddhist imagery.Paintingsbecamemorecolourfulandvibrant,compositionsmorecrowdedasBodhisattvasappeared alongside Buddhas (a practice notseen in Goryeo painting), and additionalpersonnel from shamanist and popularBuddhistbeliefssuchastheTenKingsofHellgot into the picture (literally). As well, silkwasnolongertheonlymediumforpaintingswhichcouldappearonothermaterials,suchashemp.

Subjects for Buddhist paintings includeindividual Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, andnarratives illustrating the passage tosalvation.Within a temple complex such asTongdosa, paintings appear on external andinternal walls as well as on large hangingscrolls, which can be either the focal imageonanaltar, or serveas a so-called ‘platformpainting’-thebackdroptoasingleorgroupofBuddhistsculpturesseatedonaplatform.

The impact of the interior of a temple is anoverwhelming and uplifting experience ofredemptiononthepathtoparadise,eachstagegraphically illustrated. The path to paradisestarts when the deceased are taken into thecare of Messengers from the Underworld

who escort them to the court presided overby the Ten Kings of Hell. After appearingsequentiallybeforeeachoneoftheTenKingsof Hell for assessment, they can be re-bornintooneoftheSixRealmsofTransmigrationthat constitute samsara. Thus adeceased canbecomeadenizenofhell,ahungryghost,ananimal,ahuman,ademi-god(asura)oragod.

Illustrations of these differing realms arerendered with imaginative relish anduncompromising realism. The Bodhisattvawhopresidesoverthisrealmandwhohasthepowertosavesoulsandleadthemtonirvanais Kshitigarbha (K. Jijang), an ubiquitousfigure in Buddhist pantheons. As much asthehellsandpunishmentsareterrifying,theBuddhist paradises are serene, bejewelledrealms of blissful plenty. Depictions of theKingsofHell,Kshitigarbha, and theRealmsof Transmigration can be traced back to9th century China through surviving scrollpaintingsfromthecavesofDunhuang.

Themostpopular and influentialMahayanatextsacrossallofEastAsiahasbeentheLotusSutra which stresses the eternal nature andomniscienceoftheBuddha.TheSutrapurportstobeadiscoursedeliveredbyShakyamunionVulture Peak (K. Yeongsanhoesangdo) to ahugeaudience.AsignaleventoftheSutraisthemeetingonVulturePeakofShakyamuni

B

passagE to paradisE : KorEan Buddhist pa int ing of thE latE JosEon pEr iod

JackieMenzies

ViEw Of PART Of ThE TONgdOSA TEMPLE cOMPLEx, gyEONgSANg PROViNcE, KOREA. PhOTO: JAcKiE MENZiES


and the past Buddha Prabhutaratna (inKorean Seokgamoni and Dabobul). ImagesofthetwoseatedalongsideeachotheroccurrepeatedlyinEastAsianart.

IllustratedisadetailofthesceneasitappearsonawallpaintinginoneofthehallsofTongdosa.Mural painting had a long tradition in Koreaand in this valuable example of that traditionShakyamuni and Prabhutaratna can be seenseated together in a multi-levelled pagoda.Accordingtothetext,thisgreateventoccurredasShakyamunirosebeforetheassembledcrowdson Vulture Peak to teach theDharma.At thatmomentasparkling,jewelledstupa,decoratedwith banners, bells and flowers appeared inthe sky. Inside was Prabhutaratna who hadvowedtoappearwhenevertheLotussutrawaspreached. Upon its appearance, Shakyamunirose up in the air, opened the door, seatedhimself beside Prabhutaratna, and continuedhis sermon. The wall painting captures thismagicalevent,withthemulti-colouredbandsoflightsurroundingtheaureolesoftheBuddhasreflected in the clouds and celestial beingssurroundingthisiconicimage.

ThesubjectofShakyamuniBuddhapreachingonVulturePeakappears in a formatuniqueto Koreawithin the EastAsian repertoire: ahuge hanging scroll (up to 12 metres long)known as gwaebul,used only a few times ayearonsuchoccasionsasBuddha’sbirthdayand ceremonies for a Passage to Paradise.The ceremonies for these enormous, andconsequently heavy, paintings are heldoutdoors in order to accommodate largegatherings,andthetallpolesrequiredtohangthemcanbeseeninmanytemplecompounds.

ApartfromKorea,theonlyplacewhereproofexistsofthetraditionofhanginghugeBuddhistbannersoutsideforspecialceremoniesisTibet.Reyolds (1999: 187) shows a 1920 photo ofa giant appliquėd banner unrolled down ahillsideinnortheasternTibet.Sheexplainshowsuchbannerswereintheclassofgreatspiritualicons called Mt’ on grol, ‘liberation throughsight’. Undoubtedly the tradition enteredKoreaatthetimeofMongolinfluence.

In Korea, such large banners were used indiverseritualceremonies,includingsuryukjaerituals‘tosootheallthesoulswhohadtodiefromunjustifiable causes, orwithout propermemorial ceremonies’ (Kim S. 2009: 19). Somany people were killed at times such astheHideyoshi invasion that theonlywayofaccommodatingaudienceswantingtoattendrituals for the deceased to enter paradisewereoutsideceremonieswithhugeBuddhistbanners. TheTongdosaMuseum,within thegroundsofthetemplecomplex,hasaspecially

designedhighfoyertoaccommodatethistypeofpainting,ofwhichoneisalwaysonshow.Adetailofonesuchpaintingisillustrated.(Thecandlesatthebottomofthepictureareonthealtarplaced infrontof the image). ItdepictsamonumentalimposingcentralShakyamuniflanked by the Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra(K.Bohyeon)andManjushri(K.Munsu)withotherBodhisattvasandluminaries.

ThetwoBodhisattvasarelargerinscalethanfoundinearlierJoseonpainting.TheredandgreencolouringthatdominatesthepaletteistypicalofJoseonpaintings,whilethehandlingof the Buddha too has distinctive Joseonfeatures. Characteristics of Joseon Buddhasincludethecolouredsphereatthepeakofhis

ushnisha(thecranialprotuberancethatisoneofthe32attributesofaBuddha),thefineness,sometimes smallness, of facial features, andthe decoratively restrained handling of hair.Despiteitssize,thequalityofthebrushwork,colouringanddetailingofclothing,jewelleryandfacialfeaturesismaintained.

ManyKoreanBuddhistpaintingsdestinedfortemple display are large and squarer ratherthan long and narrow in shape, reflectingtheir transition from an earlier tradition ofmural painting. Some were created to hangontheirownbutmanywerecreatedtohangbehind the central Buddhist sculpture(s)on the altar of the main hall of a Buddhisttemple,enhancingthepowerandgloryofthe

nEctarritual,[dEtail] JOSEON dyNASTy, c1900, cOLOURS ON SiLK, 199.5 x 203cM, TONgdOSA. PhOTO: JAcKiE MENZiES

shaKyamuniandpraBhutaratna[dEtail],

JOSEON dyNASTy,1700S, wALL PAiNTiNg, cOLOURS

ON wOOd, TONgdOSA. PhOTO: JAcKiE MENZiES

shaKyamuniprEachingatvulturEpEaK[dEtail],

JOSEON dyNASTy, 1700, cOLOUR ON hEMP, 870 x 851cM,

TONgdOSA. PhOTO: JAcKiE MENZiES


sculptural image aswell as the surroundingambience of the temple interior. Regardedmore as a craft than high art, such imageswerepaintedbymonkpainters, following atradition whereby a novice monk evincingtalentwouldbe trained topaint thevariousimagesmandatoryinthemainandsubsidiarytemplesofatempleprecinct.

InlaterJoseon,paperstencilswereoftenusedas the first stage in creating an image,withthe inkoutlinesthencolouredinbyselectedmonk painters. Typically the colours usedwerebrightandflat,atastearguablyindebtedtofolktraditions.

Another uniquely Korean Buddhist type ofpainting is the ‘Nectar ritual’ painting usedin rituals to lead souls to paradise, such as

suryukjae,andtheritualsonthe49thdayafterdeath. A detail of one such painting in theTongdosa collection is illustrated to presentits fascinating iconography. The compositioncomprises various levels, starting from thetop row of seven Buddhas that featuresShakyamuni in the centre,flankedby theSixBuddhas of the Past. The monk like figuredepictedupperrightisKshitigarbha(K.Jijang),theBodhisattvawhopresidesoverhell.

Belowthem,againstabackdropofflutteringwhite banners inscribed with the Buddhist‘hail’ invocation, is a long altar piled withofferings.Thealtarandtheabstractedshapeson it, evoke a specific Tibetan genre ofoffering painting called ‘host of ornaments’,representing the different offerings made todeitiesduringceremoniestopropitiatethem.

In the original Tibetan version, what hereis a rowofwhite ‘bowls’ is a rowof skulls.Such ambiguity extends to the vertical pilesof offerings, attractively abstract in thisimage.Thetwographicallydepicteddemonsin the lower centre of thisdetail arehungryghosts,sinnerscondemnedtoeternalhunger.They fervently clasp their bowls, hoping toreceive fromtheBuddhas thenectar (amrita)thatwillreleasethemforthepainfulleveloftransmigrationintowhichtheyarelocked.

TheBuddhaAmitabha,thefocusofworshipinPureLandBuddhism,maintainedhispopularitythroughout the Joseon period. Illustrated is adetail of a later painting ofAmitabha, flankedby the Bodhisattvas Avalokiteshvara (K.Gwaneum)andMahasthamaprapta(K.Daeseji)who symbolise compassion and wisdom. Thecentralfiguresmaintainthehieraticarrangementpopular in theGoryeoperiodwith thescaleofthecentralBuddhaoverwhelmingthatofthetwodisproportionately small Bodhisattvas flankinghim.HoweverinaGoryeopaintingthistriptychwouldappearagainstanemptyspacewhereaswhatdistinguishesaJoseonpainting(asinthisexample)isthehostoffiguressurroundingthemainimage.Anotherdifferenceisthatthegolddetailing used to embellish Goryeo paintingsis not found on Joseon paintings, whosepatrons lacked the wealth of the aristocratscommissioningGoryeoimages.

Buddhist paintings of the Joseon dynasty areattracting more attention as temples such asTongdosabringthemtothenoticeofthewiderpublic, and as they enter museum collections.Thisarticlehaspresentedonlyafewimagesfromtheenthrallingworldcapturedinsuchimages.

I am indebted for some of my information toconversationsandlecturesbynumerousindividualsconnected to Tongdosa and to lecture programsorganised by the Korea Foundation for their ArtCurators’workshops.Iamparticularlygratefultothe chief abbot atTongdosa, theVen.ASan JungWooSunim,andtoShinYong-chul,ChiefcuratoroftheTongdosaMuseum.InSydneyIamgratefultoWonSeungSunim,TaeWonSunimandYungYooofTheKoreanBuddhismJongbopsaSocietyInc.

Jackie Menzies is head curator of Asian Art at the Art

gallery of New South wales.

rEfErEncEsVen, Jung-Nyun (editor-in-chief), 2000. What is Korean Buddhism?

chogye Order Publishing, Seoul

Kim Seunghee et al, 2009. A Journey of the Soul, The Buddhist

Painting of the Joseon Period, National Museum of Korea, Seoul

Korean Buddhist Research institute, 1993/reprint 1995. The History

and Culture of Buddhism in Korea, dongguk University Press, Seoul

Reyolds, Valrae, 1999. From the Sacred Realm, Treasures of Tibetan

Art from The Newark Museum, Newark, New Jersey

amitaBhatriptych,[dEtail],JOSEON dyNASTy, 1740, cOLOURS ON hEMP, 295 x 235cM, TONgdOSA. PhOTO: JAcKiE MENZiES


n East Asia bronze mirrors weremanufactured and used for more than

2500years,andthereislittledoubtthattheyserved an important function within thesecularandrituallivesofpeoplelivinginthisregion. Archaeological finds and historicalwritings suggest that over the course oftime they were used not only as reflectorsof the human body but equally, if notmorefrequentlyasritualobjects,tombgoods,gifts,talismansandcollectibles.

The objects are typically in the form of discsthat were polished to a high sheen on oneside,andontheotherwerecastwithanarrayof decorative schemes that in various waysenrichedthesymbolicmeaningsoftheobjects.Bronze was the preferred medium used,and its shiny and durable qualities not onlyhad a practical purpose, it also enhanced themetaphorical and ritual connotations of theobjects.Manymirrorinscriptionsalludetothis,as exemplified in a Chinesemirror excavatedfrom a third century tomb in Pyongyang. ItsinscriptionisformedbyfourChinesecharactersthatsay“[Mayyou] liveas longasmetalandstone”(shourujinshi).Suchwishesforlongevitywerefrequentlycastonmirrors,suggestingthattheirownersbelieved in theirefficacy.Clearly,mirrorswere not only everyday objects. Theytookonpowerfulsacredrolesthatwererootedintheirreflectivequalities.

The durability of bronze has resulted inthousandsofmirrorshavingsurvivedtilltoday,and they are housed in many museum andprivate collections around the world. MirrorsfoundontheChinesemainlandandtoalesserextent those from the Japanese archipelagohavebeenthesubjectofscholarlyattentionfordecades.Characterizedbytheiruniquedesignsand superb casting, especially early Chinesemirrors from the Han (206 BCE-220 CE) andTang(618-906CE)periods,theyhavebeenverypopularamongcollectors,andextensivestudieshavebeenpublishedonthem.

In contrast, mirrors found on the Koreanpeninsula are little known to the scholarlycommunity. This may partly be attributedto the fact that for historical reasons Koreanartifacts are generally less well known thantheirChineseandJapanesecounterparts,andinmuseumstheyareoftenoutnumberedbythem.Overthepastdecade,however,therehasbeenincreased interest in Korean bronze artifacts,in particular those of the Goryeo kingdom

(918-1392 CE). During this time, decorativearts including celadon ceramics, textiles andbronzewares,flourishedunderthepatronageoftheroyalcourt.Famedfortheirtranslucentglazes, fluent shapes and delicately inlaidpatterns, celadon ceramics have especiallycome to be seen as one of the highpoints ofGoryeo’s artistic traditions. The manufactureofbronzesalsoincreaseddramatically,leadingto the production of many different typesof objects: from Buddhist artifacts such assculptures,reliccontainers,gongsandbells,tosecularwares, in particular hairpins, spoons,chopsticks, and bowls.Many bronzemirrorsweremadeduringthistime,andtheyformthefocalpointofthisarticlewhichexploressomeof theirkeycharacteristics, andquestions thesymbioticrelationshipbetweenmirrordesignsandmirroruses.

More than a thousand bronze mirrors fromthe Goryeo kingdom have survived andmanyarenowheldinmuseumsandprivatecollections in Korea and elsewhere. MirrorsfromthisperiodcontinuetosurfaceinSouthKoreaasaresultofexcavationsbeingcarried

outinthewakeofconstructionworks.Itwasnotuncommon for elitemembersofGoryeosocietytobeburiedwithabronzemirror,andover the past decade, several mirrors havebeendiscoveredinsuchcontexts.

That mirrors formed an integral part ofGoryeocultureisnotonlyevidencedbytheirsheernumbers,butalsobythefactthattheirmanufacture in part was controlled by thecentral government administration of artsandcraftsworkshops.Twovirtuallyidenticalmirrors,nowinthecollectionoftheNationalMuseumofKorea,werecastwithacartouchebearing four Chinese characters with themeaning ‘made in Goryeo’, indicatingthat they were manufactured in such agovernment-runworkshop.Decoratedwithasimplescrollmotif,thecontoursofthedesignappearsoftandinsomecasesslightlyblurred,suggesting that themouldhadbeen re-usedmany times, pointing tomass-production ofthisparticulartypeofmirror.

Thereislittledoubtthatthecastingofbronzemirrors increased significantly during the

I

W i s h E s f o r h a r m o n y, p r o s p E r i t y a n d l o n g l i f E :

K o r E a n B r o n z E m i r r o r s o f t h E K o r y o K i n g d o m

CharlotteHorlyckBronzEmirror ExcAVATEd fROM TOMB 218 AT SOKAMNi, PyONgyANg, 3Rd cENTURy cE, diAM. 22.8cM, NATiONAL MUSEUM Of KOREA


Goryeokingdom,bringingwithitnewstyles,shapes and designs. Unlike earlier Koreanmirrors which were predominantly circular,Goryeo ones were cast in a wide spectrumof sizes and shapes, suchas circles, squares,flowers, clouds and bells. In contrast toearlier times, when mirrors chiefly carriedcosmological motifs, during this periodvariouskindsofauspiciouspatternsbecamepopular, as represented by pictorial subjectmatters as well as stylised flower, bird andanimalpatterns.Yet, certainmotifsaremoreprominent than others, indicating that theyhadspecialappealforpeopleatthistime.

Foreignmirrors,whichenteredthepeninsulathrough trade and tributary relations, alsohad a strong influence on Goryeo mirrorproduction,ascraftspeopleincorporatedandadapted earlier and contemporary ChineseandtoalesserextentJapanesemirrordesignsto suit local taste and traditions. In fact,manyofthemotifswhichappearonGoryeomirrors, such as the dragon, phoenix, andpeonywereimportedfromthemainlandoverseveraldecadesandweregraduallyincludedinto the Korean iconographical scheme asdemonstrated by the fact thatmanymirrorswith these decorations no longer closelyresembletheirforeignprototypesandinsteadcanbesaidtobelocalvariationsofthem.

Some of the largest mirrors that were madeduringthistimefeatureacentralpatternoftwodragons chasingflamingpearls.Traditionallytheuseofdragonmotifswasreservedfortheroyalfamily,sinceinaccordancewithChinesecustom,itdenotedpowerandauthority.Inthiscase too, their sizeand skillfully castdesignssuggestthesekindsofmirrorsweremadeforan exclusive clientele who could afford andwereallowedtousesuchitems.

Several mirrors of this type, which are nowhousedintheNationalMuseumofKorea,arerecorded to have been found near Kaesong,thecapitaloftheGoryeokingdom,indicatingthat theymayhavecome fromthe royalandaristocratic tombs located in this area. Priortothembeingplacedinthegraves,theymayhavebeenusedassecularobjectsinupperclasshomeswheretheywouldhavebeenplacedonmirrorstands.Afewsuchstandshavesurvivedtill today and they are elaborately decoratedwith repoussé designs and inlaid patterns.A string would have been inserted throughthe knob on the back of the mirror, and itwouldhavebeenhungwiththereflectivesideupwardsovertheknobonthemirrorstand.

Comparably smaller in size, one of themost popular mirrors made during thisperiod was decorated with the so-called

‘double-bird-auspicious-flower-motif ’(K.ssanggeumseohwamun) which features twobirds with outstretched wings flankedby stylised floral scrolls. They have beenexcavated from sites located throughout thepeninsula, testifying to their widespreadappeal. Early examples date from the mid11thcenturybuttheyhavealsobeenfoundinlatertombsofthe12thcentury.

Thefloralscrollsaremadeupoflotus,whilethe birds can be identified as phoenixes.Goryeo people were fervent believers ofBuddhism and within this faith the lotuscarriesgreatsymbolicsignificance.Itsgrowthin amuddy pond is likened to the spiritualpath of the devotee,whosemind is initiallyshroudedindarknessbutwhowithtimeanddevotion gains clarity and finally blossomslikealotus.Thelotuswasthereforeamuch-loveddecorativemotifonBuddhistaswellassecularobjects,whereitwasoftencombinedwithotherauspiciouspatterns,asinthiscase.

The phoenix is one of the most mythicaland legendary of creatures in East Asia. InaccordancewithChinesetradition,itisabearerofgoodomenasitisbelievedonlytoappearin times of peace and prosperity. It thereforecame to be associated with the royal family,benevolentruleandimmortality,andwasused

as a decorative pattern, especially on objectsused by the queen or the empress. In somevariationsofthessanggeumseohwamunthebirdsaremorereminiscentofdovesorduckswhichwere likewise seenasauspiciouscreaturesastheysymbolisedfaithfulnessandmaritallove.Signifying spiritual purity, benevolence, andharmony, these mirrors were well-suited aspresentstolovedones,anditmayaccountfortheirwidespreaduseasburialgifts.

Peonieswerealsowidelyusedasadesignschemeduring this time.Their frequentappearanceonGoryeo mirrors may have been influenced byChina, where they were known as the ‘kingof flowers’ due to their exquisite blossomsand fanciful forms. Peonies were traditionallyexchanged as farewell gifts and as tokens oflove.Itisthereforeappropriatethattheyappearonmirrors and otherGoryeo funerary objects,including stone coffins that were sometimesusedbymembersofthearistocracy.

Sincetheirinceptionmirrorswereassociatedwith longevity and immortality and thistraditioncontinuedintheGoryeoperiodwhenmanymirrorscarriedmotifssymbolisingsuchnotions. Particularly prevalent are cranes,associatedwithenduranceandlonglifeduetotheirlonglifespanandlongmigratoryhabits.As legendaryfigures, cranespermeated folk

BronzEmirrorwiTh fLORAL ScROLLS ANd A cARTOUchE wiTh ThE iNScRiPTiON ‘MAdE iN gORyEO’,

gORyEO KiNgdOM (918-1392), diAM. 14.6cM, NATiONAL MUSEUM Of KOREA, SEOUL


consciousness at an early date and manyKoreanfolktalescentreonthem.

Several circular mirrors with flying cranesamidst cloudscrollshavebeenexcavated from12thcenturytombs.Withtheirlong,thinnecks,straightlegsandoutspreadwings,therenderingofthebirdsischaracteristicofthisperiod,whentheyalsoappearrepeatedlyonceramics.Thoughcraneswerealsopopularasadecorativemotifin Japan and China, their pictorial treatmentin Goryeomirrors is considerably different. InJapanese mirrors of the Heian (794-1185 CE)andKamakura(1185-1336CE)periodstheyareusually placed in an ornate landscape setting.OnTangandSong(960-1279CE)mirrors,cranestendtobedepictedinalandscapesettingwithapinetree,animmortalandatortoise–allsymbolsoflongevity.InGoryeotheirrenditionwasmuchsimpler, reflecting the general fondness forunderstateddecorativeschemesthatcharacterisemuch12thcenturyKoreanart.

On the Korean peninsula bronze mirrorsweremadesinceatleastthe4thcenturyBCE,

andtheycontinuedtobeinuseuntilthelateJoseondynastywhen theywere replacedbymercury mirrors imported from China andJapan. It was during the Goryeo kingdomthat the production ofmirrors underwent asignificant transformation in their shapes,sizesandinparticulartheirmotifs,suggestingthattheirmanufactureandusewasgovernedbynewideasandconcerns.

Incontrasttoearliertimeswhenmirrorswerepredominantly used in ritual settings, in theGoryeokingdomtheytookondifferent,thoughnotmutuallyexclusiveroles.Asinpre-Goryeotimes,mirrorswere used in Buddhist ritualsandinburialcontexts,buttheyalsocametobeseenasdesirablesecularobjects.Themultiplefunctions of mirrors led to an expansion oftheir decorative schemeswhich often carriedauspiciousmessagesoflongevity,benevolenceandharmony.ManypatternswereborrowedfromChina,andtoalesserextentJapan,wherethey had similar meanings, but craftsmenadaptedthemtosuitlocalaesthetictraditions,givingrisetoobjectswhichinmanycaseswere

significantlydifferent from theirChinese andJapanesecounterparts.

dr. charlotte horlyck is a Lecturer of Korean art

history at the School of Oriental and African Studies

(SOAS), University of London. She formerly curated the

Korean collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum

in London. She has published widely on Korean art

and archaeology, and is presently working on a book

length study of Korean mirrors, as well as a co-edited

volume on death, mourning and the afterlife in Korea.

rEfErEncEscahill, Suzanne E. (2009). ‘All is contained in its Reflection:

A history of chinese Bronze Mirrors,’ in (ed.) Lothar von

falkenhausen, Bronze Mirrors in the Cotsen Collection. Los

Angeles, cotsen institute Press, pp. 13-64.

horlyck, charlotte (2002). ‘Korean Bronze Mirrors and their

chinese and Japanese influences,’ Orientations, Volume 33 (9),

pp. 48-51.

horlyck, charlotte (2006). Mirrors in Koryo Society: Their History, Use

and Meanings. Unpublished Phd Thesis, SOAS, University of London.

hwang ho-gun (1996). Han’guk munyangsa (A history of Korean

patterns). Seoul, Kangnam ch’ulp’an munhwa sent’o.

yi Nan-yong 2003. Koryo tonggyong yon’gu (Study of Koryo

bronze mirrors). Seoul, Toso ch’ulp’an.

BronzEmirror wiTh fLORAL ScROLLS ANd PhOENixES. gORyEO KiNgdOM (918-1392). diAM. 10cM. NATiONAL MUSEUM Of ch’ONgJU


Cookingsmokerisesstraightaboveeachhouse...Intheeveningitjoinsthemountainmist.Itfadesinthespringrain.Itscreenstheglareoftheautumnglow.

from16beautifulsceneriesinHahoe,poemsbyRyuWon-ji[1598-1674]

astyear,inacrowdedmeetinginBrasilia,theWorldHeritageCommitteeinscribed

the Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe andYangdongontheWorldHeritageList,asplacesof`outstandinguniversalvalue’.Ihadvisitedbothplacesin2008inthat`glareoftheautumnglow’ – shimmering red, gold, citrus foliageonmountainsidesonarrival;red,gold,citrusbedsoffallenleavesaweeklater.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Conventioncelebrates and protects those extraordinaryplaces around the world that best conveyoutstanding cultural and natural values. ItsCommitteehas,overrecentyears,consideredthe subtleties of cultural landscapes and theintangible cultural associations that infusethemwithmeaning.

After due consideration, the Committeedetermined that these two villages, intheir very fabric, epitomise the Confucianprinciples of the Joseon Dynasty (1392 -1910),inparticularthroughtheirharmoniouscomposition within their landscape settingsandthroughtheirformalstructureforliving.

BothvillageslietothesoutheastoftheKoreanPeninsula and were founded by noble, oryangban, families in 14th-15th century. They

expanded to their current size in the 18th-19thcenturies.ThefounderofHahoecreateda new settlement. InYangdong, a noblemanmarriedandsettledintohiswife’shometown.The location of each village was carefullyselectedaccordingtotherulesofpungsu-theartofchoosinganauspicioussite.Eachnestlesbelow forestedmountains and facesflowingwaterandnearbyfertilefieldsofcrops.Eachis so shapedas to reflect thedistinctive clansocial structure and is divided into threeprincipal areas: for agricultural production,residentiallivingandspiritualdevelopment.

The village of Hahoe is said to resemble afloating lotus flower, with the loop of theNaktong River and the mountain range

behind it forming the yin-yang symbol. Itsgeographic form has protected Hahoe fromforeign invasions several times. Yangdong,on the other hand, takes the formof spreadfingersalongthesmallvalleyslyingbetweenitsmountainridges.YangdonghaspreservedthelargestconcentrationofyangbanhousesinKorea.Withtheirpatternoftile-roofednoblefamily houses and supporting thatch-roofedcommoners’houses,theirsecludedacademiesandstudyhalls,bothvillagesreflectConfuciansocialstructuresandphilosophicaltraditions.

Joseon Culture and Society To appreciate the extraordinary survival ofthesetwovillagesandtheirlivingtraditions,it is important to understand something ofthe Joseon era. Joseon’s culture was basedon the philosophy of Neo-Confucianism,emphasising morality and practical ethics.As a dynasty, it profoundly influenced thedevelopment of the Korean peninsula oversomefivecenturies.

Respectforscholarshipwasexpressedthroughprivate Confucian academies and otherfacilitiesfortheliterati,suchasthestudyhallsand pavilions of Hahoe and Yangdong. Asmoreandmoredocumentswereproduced-onhistory, geography, medicine and Confucianprinciples - so too the arts flourished inpainting, calligraphy, music and ceramics.Notably, the simplified Korean alphabetHangul was developed by King Sejong theGreatin1446forthebenefitofthepopulace.

L

o n t h E W o r l d h E r i tag E l i s t: t h E h a h o E a n d ya n g d o n g v i l l ag E s o f Ko r E a

JoanDomicelj

AERiAL ViEw Of hAhOE ViLLAgE. PhOTO: cULTURAL hERiTAgE AdMiNiSTRATiON Of KOREA

OKSANSEOwON cONfUciAN AcAdEMy ANd MOUNTAiN: PhOTO: hwANg hEON-MAN


During this era, societywas hierarchical andhereditary, with king and royal family at itspinnacle. Thenext tier of nobles consisted ofConfucian scholars, government officials andland owners, supported by tenant farmersand slaves. It was this highly educatedyangban class that established the numerousclan villages now exemplified byHahoe andYangdong. The middle class, jungin, werescribes,technicians,artistsandmusicians,wholivedinwalledtowns.Commoners,orpeasantfarmers,werethelargestclass.Thelowestclassincludedhereditaryslaves(theirmistreatmentwasstrictly forbidden),prostitutes, labourers,shamans,soldiersandcriminals.

GovernmentandmilitaryinstitutionsofJoseonKoreawerecontrolledby theyangban and theking.Theyangbanbecameanhereditarynobility,whose statuswas based on a uniquemixtureof family position, a series of examinationsin Confucian learning and the civil servicesystem. If, over threegenerations,nomemberofayangbanfamilysucceededinbecominganofficial,thefamilyrevertedtocommonerstatus.

Although by the 19th century the yangbanclass structure had weakened considerably,much of modern Korean etiquette, attitudesand languagereflects its legacy. InHahoeandYangdong, the original families, togetherwithevidenceofJoseonsocialstructureandpractices,remain relatively intact. This is particularlyremarkable,given thedestructionexperiencedby Korea in its troubled history includingduring Japaneseoccupation from1910–1945,thewarbetweenNorthandSouthKoreafrom1950–53andongoingtensionssincethen.

Key Components of the VillagesThe villages are, of course, made up ofall the physical components of a small urbansettlement-housing,gardens,farming,schooling,connecting roads and pathways and idyllicpavilions and study halls, together with manyassociatedintangibletraditionsandwaysof life.The village vernacular architecture is distinctlyKorean,suchastheformoftimberstructuresortheondolunder-floorheating.

Only three aspects will be highlightedhere: the clan family house, the ConfucianAcademy and the living traditions of ritualand folklore. One example of each is takenfrom the village of Hahoe, with house andacademy both relating to the one yangbanfrom the foundingRyu family - Ryu Seong-ryong. Similar enchanting sites and humanstoriesaboundforYangdongvillage.

The Clan Family HouseThe head family house of Hahoe, typically,stands on a slightly elevated site at the

centre of the village. The equivalent houseinYangdong liesat theheartof thevillage’sinnermost valley. Clan households areresponsible for maintaining the familygenealogy and performing ancestral rituals,manyrelatedtothefamilyshrine.Eachvillageclan is also custodianof avarietyof ancientartefacts, including invaluable records,early documents, book printing tablets anddrawings. InHahoe,many are housedwiththe Ryu family, others in the ConfucianAcademynearby.

Chunghyodang in Hahoe village, is listedas Treasure no.414 for the excellence of itsarchitecture.Itsstructureistypicalofhousesof high-ranking officials of the mid Joseondynasty. It is the head family house of RyuSeong-ryong (1542-1607), also known asSeoae,whowasimportantinthedefenceofthekingdomduringtheJapaneseinvasionsunderHideyoshiof1592-98.Hewrote the Jingbirok(War Memories) based on that experience.The housewas named Chunghyodang (hallof loyalty and filial piety) out of respect forhisdyingwords tohischildren,and is sitedsoastobeshieldedfrontandbackbyMountsWonjisanandHwasan.

In Ryu Seong-ryong’s time the house wassmall, but it was enlarged by his grandsonRyuWon-ji (1598-1674), district chief officer,and further extended byWon-ji’s son to itspresent sizeof52 rooms.Themaingate isasinglestructure,withthewomen’scourtyard(theanchae)alittlebehind.Themen’squarters(the sarangchae), with wooden floored hall,extendsoutwardsfromacorneroftheanchae.Thewalledancestral shrine liesbeyond thatand faces Manuelbong Peak in accordancewith pungsu and ritual observances. All

buildings in the complex are tile roofedand finely decorated.Within the precinct, abuilding was erected in 1974 to house vitalrelics and documents such as the Jingbirok,Seoae’s relics and documents of the Ryufamily. Oddly, Queen Elizabeth of Englandcelebratedherbirthdayherein1999.

The Confucian Academy

Iftherearenomountainsandstreams,emotionscannotbegoodandpeoplewillbecoarse.Ifmountainsandriversareengagedfromafar,peoplewillharbourambition,butiftheyareengagedcloselypeople’smindswillbepureandtheirspiritsjoyful.

Primerforchoosingsettlements,YiJung-hwan(1690-1756).

Lee Sang-hae in his fine book Seowon, thearchitectureofKorea’sPrivateAcademies(2005),describes the Confucian Academy as thecrowninggloryofKoreanNeo-Confucianism,aphilosophicaltraditionbasedonrespectandlearning, that originated in China but wasabsorbedbyKoreanliteratioftheJoseoneraandadoptedastheirrulingideology.

Theacademieswerebuiltasscholasticretreats,beside streams and imposing mountains,whereonecouldsteepthemindandbodyinthestudyandpracticeofConfucianism,andpay respect to thewisdomofearly sagesbyrites ofworship at their shrines. The layoutandappearanceof the complexwasorderly,modest and open to the beautiful landscapewhichsurroundedit.Thestudentdormitoriesformedacourtyard,bothcontemplativeandactive in character, while set well behindthe lecture hall, thewalled shrine remainedsecludedandquiet.Thelongpavilion–open

ByEONSANSEOwON cONfUciAN AcAdEMy PAViLiON. PhOTO: hwANg hEON-MAN


ByEONSANSEOwON hyANgSA. PhOTO: hwANg hEON-MAN hAhOE MASKEd dANcE-dRAMA. PhOTO: hwANg hEON-MAN

andexpresslydesignedtobringpeoplecloseto nature and encourage ardent debate ordiscussion of poetry - was set close to theentrance.All those seated in the lecture hallorthepavilioncouldseethefacingmountain.

Overgenerations,theacademieshousedandconserved clan documents, scholarly booksand artistic works. In Yangdong village, YiEon-jeok’sCollectionofManuscripts isheldintheOksanseowonAcademy,togetherwiththeearliestcompletesetofKoreanhistorybookscompiledbygovernment.AdjacenttoHahoevillage, the Byeongsan-seowon Academyhousessome1,000documentsand300highlyvaluedbooks.

Byeongsan-seowon Confucian Academy(Historic Site No.260) is located some fivekilometreseastofHahoevillageonthebanksof theNakdongRiver and is separated fromthevillagebyMtHwasan.TheAcademyfacesacross the river to the cliffs ofByeongsan, orscreenmountain. Its shrine is amemorial toRyuSeong-ryongwhoretiredtohisbirth-placeHahoe and wrote the Jingbirok, mentionedabove,asawarningagainstfuturecalamities.

Although Ryu Seong-ryong relocated theAcademytothissitein1572,mostbuildingsinthe complexwere constructedbyhis studentsafter his death. Byeongsan-seowon remainsas one of only 47 academies not destroyedin the government’s anti-seowon purges of1868. It encompassesamaingate,pond, largetwo-storeyed pavilion, eastern and westerndormitories,lecturehall,storehouseforprintingblocks,spiritgateandstonelantern,araisedandwalledshrinesurroundedbycrepemyrtletrees,a building for preparing spring and autumnofferingsandahouseforstewards.

The Living Traditions of Ritual and Folklore Joseonerafolklorewasperformedbyfamily,clan or village as a whole. Family and clanrituals relate to coming-of-age, marriage,funeralandancestralworship,withthelatterbeing the most essential. There is also theannualHahoe festivalwhenyangban, sailingonboatsinmoonlight,drinkandrecitepoemsunderfireworkslitbyvillagers.Thesevariousritualscontinuetoday.

Traditionally,villagesworshippedaguardianspirit.Folkloreincludedritualprayersforgoodfortunetothatspiritbutalsocollectivegamestobondthecommunity.ThedongjeceremonyofHahoeisstillconductedinthetraditionalway,twiceayearatnight,offeringfoodanddrinkatupperandmiddletutelaryshrinesandthenext morning at the sacred samsindang tree.Yangdong villageworships ancient trees andperforms community tug-of-war ceremoniesbetween theupper and lower sections of thevillagetoliftmoraleattimesofmisfortune.

The wooden masks of Hahoe, worn in theHahoe masked dance-drama (ImportantIntangible Cultural Property No.69), are theonly ones designated as Korean nationaltreasures. Their unique facial features areanalysed through one of the Four Booksand Three Classics fundamental to Koreantraditional education. They depict socialposition, occupation and economic status.Inperformance, theyvividlyexpressscowls,laughter or calm, through their tilting andhinged jaw movement. The masks seemedmysterious, almost spiritual, to villagersduring their hundreds of years ofuse. Theywere treated with such respect that actorswould offer a sacrifice whenever they weremovedtoorfromstorage.

TheT’al-nori,themaskeddance-drama,isthethird stepof avillage ritualByeolsingutheldwheneverthevillageissufferingmisfortune.Thefirsttwostepswelcomethespiritgangsinand entertain the spirit osin. It is the oldesttraditional masked dance-drama in Koreaanditsessenceistosatirisetensionsbetweenthe Yangban (ruling class) and the Sangmin(ruled class). It parodies the flaws of theprivileged,includingdecadentnoblemenandapostate Buddhist monks and so acts as anoutlet for the frustrations of commoners. Inasocietywherestatusandorderwerestrictlyobserved, the T’al-nori allowed criticism oftherulingclasses,withtheirtacitconsentandfinancialsupport.Theperformancepresentedissuestotheyangban,enablingthemtoresolvecomplaints and re-establish unity in thevillagecommunity.

As forourfinalglimpseof these twoWorldHeritagevillages:

Eveningdimstherivervillage.HereandthereIseethetorchesoffishermen.Aninfinityofstarsshineclearlyinthesky.Aredfireblazeslikeaclusterofflowers.

from16beautifulsceneriesinHahoe,poemsbyRyuWon-ji[1598-1674]

Joan domicelj AM is an Australian architect planner,

mediator and heritage adviser, now specialised in

world heritage. She has worked in Europe, Asia and

Latin America and in 2006 was named one of “60

women contributing to the 60 years of UNEScO”.

rEfErEncEsRepublic of Korea, 2008. Historic Villages of Korea, Hahoe and

Yangdong, for inscription on the World Heritage List.


Sang bo, SELf-PATTERNEd SiLK (SA) wRAPPiNg cLOTh fOR ORdiNARy PEOPLE (MIN BO), KOREA, 1800S.

cOLLEcTiON MUSEUM Of KOREAN EMBROidERy, SEOUL, KOREA

ojagi, the patchwork and embroideredwrapping cloths of Korea, rank among

the most influential of the world’s myriadarray of glorious textiles for contemporarypractitioners. A traditional form of raredelicacyandconsiderableantiquity,bojagiaredeeplyimbuedwithKoreanaesthetic,culturalandsocialvalues.Theircurrentvisibilityonthecontemporaryartsceneseemscharacterisedbyametamorphosisoftraditionalformscoupledwithastrongadherencetotheirquintessentialtraditionalaesthetic.

Colourful and highly decorative, traditionalKoreanbojagiaresquareorrectangularclothsmadebywomenofallclassesinthestratifiedKorean society. They range in size fromonepok (about35cmsquare) to tenpokandweredesignedtobeusedtowrap,cover,carryandstore both ordinary and precious householditems such as clothing, bedding, food,jewelleryandgifts.

Bojagiwerealsousedforceremonialpurposesand the observation of social rituals: specialoccasions and religious ceremonies weremarked by covering the table or altarwith a fine cloth, while gifts wrapped in apainstakingly stitched bojagi showed love orrespect for the recipient. It was understoodthat the maker’s wishes for the recipient’shappinessandgoodfortunewereenfoldedinthepackaging.Inadditiontotheirfunctionaspracticalwrappers and coverings forpeopleand their belongings, these lovely textilesthus also served their makers as personalexpressionsofcareandcreativity.Whennotinuse,bojagi could themselvesbeeasily foldedandstored.

All the known surviving early bojagi datefrom the Joseŏn dynasty (1392-1910), whenthey were at the height of their popularity.The earliest surviving example, now inthe collection of the Museum of KoreanEmbroideryinSeoul,wasusedattheweddingofthePrincessMyonganin1681.Theearliestreferencehoweveristoaredbojagiinalegendof the first century, which is indicative oftheir great antiquity. Typologically, bojagiweredividedfirstlyintotwosociallydefinedgroups (court users or ordinary users) andsubsequently according to their design andconstruction (lined, unlined, patchwork,embroidered, quilted, painted or printed)and/or their purpose. The number ofrecorded bojagi types, as indicated by the

many terms used to distinguish one fromanother, reflects their significantly variedforms, socialmeanings and functional roles.Theterminologyiscomplexandoverlappingand,fortheuninitiated,somewhatconfusingasasinglebojagimayhavetwoorthreenamesdependingonitsdesign,structureorfunction.

Gung bo, for court useWrapping cloths for use by royalty and thenobilityattheKoreancourtwerecollectivelyknownasgungbo.Typically, theywereverycolourful, made from red, purple, blue,green, black or cream silk, cotton or ramie,exquisitely printed or painted with flowers,animalsormeaningfulsymbols;occasionallytheywereembroidered.

Gung bo survive in comparatively largenumbers as, in addition to cloths to wrapor cover everything in the household fromchopsticks to chests, new wrapping clothswere required every year to package thenew clothing, headwear and footwearmadeforroyalpersonages.Gungbocouldbelined(gyeop bo), unlined (hot bo), padded (som bo)

or quilted (nubi bo); oiled paper wrappingclothsknownassikjibowereusedatcourtforcovering food. Gung bo were also classifiedbytheirfunction,forexampletocoverafoodtable (sang bo), or towrapbedding (ibul bo),clothing(otbo)orjewellery(norigaebo),aswellasby theirmaterialsanddecoration suchassilk(bidanbo)orembroidery(subo).

Min bo, for ordinary peopleThebojagimade forusebyordinarycitizenswereknowncollectivelyasminboandwereatonetimeanindispensablepartofeverydaylifeinKorea.Mostminbowereeitherembroidered(su bo) ormadebymeansof a characteristicpatchwork construction called jogak bo.They were generally simpler in design andornament than gung bo, often with abstractrather than figurative designs, and weremade from more robust fabrics. However,the terminology for the different structuraland functional types of gung bo and min boarethesame,sincethedecorativetechniquesusedandthepurposestowhichtheywereputweremoreorlessidenticalwhetherforuseinthepalaceoranordinaryhousehold.Asingle

B

considEringbojagi:traditionalandcontEmporaryKorEanWrappingcloths

ChristinaSumner


min bo in a poor household served a rangeofpurposesandwouldbenamedaccordingto its function. These functional distinctionscompare with our own use in English of arangeoftermssuchasduster,wiper,polisher,wrapper or rag for the same hard-workingpieceofcloth.

Embroidery for betrothals and weddingsSu bo, embroidered wrapping cloths, weremost commonbutnot exclusive to theminbogroup of wrapping cloths and were popularfor celebrations connected with betrothaland marriage. A range of bojagi was used inassociationwitha couple’sbetrothal.Tomarkthis event, the bridegroom’s family sent aspecial gift of fabrics wrapped in a yemul bo.In return, the bride’s family sent gifts to thebridegroom’sfamilywrappedinaredorbluesilkyedanbo.Duringtheweddingceremony,aspecialtypeofcloth,thegireogibo,waswrappedaroundawoodengooseandgiventothebridebythebridegroom’sfamily.Kirogibowereoftenredandbluewithabunchofgoldorrainbow-colouredthreadsinthecentretosymbolisericestalksandbringprosperitytothecouple.

The motifs used to embroider su bo wereusuallyflowersandtreeswithascatteringofbutterfliesandbirds.Chosenfortheirpositiveimport,flowerswereasignifierofprosperity

and honour while the tree is a universalsymbol of life; fruit encouraged fertility andbirds and butterflies were thought to bringhappiness. There was considerable latitudeforpersonalexpressioninsubo,withtheresultthat the makers’ imagination and creativitycouldbeunbounded,bringingcolour,vitalityandindividualitytotheirwork.

Patchwork wrapping clothsJogakbo,patchworkwrappingcloths,seemtohavebeenexclusivetotheminbo:itislikelythatwrappingclothsmadefromfabricscrapswerenotconsideredseemlyforthepalace.Jogakboweretraditionallymadefromcolouredsilkandsometimesramie,hemporcottonfabricscrapsleft over from family dressmaking. Frugalitywas consideredavirtue, andeven the tiniestfragments of cloth were saved. Similarly,economy was a characteristic of patchworktraditionsintheWest.

In both East and West, fabric scraps werecollected and sorted according to weightand colour, then cut to shape and arrangedand stitched together as determined by themaker’ssensibilitiesandskill informulatingthe design. The selection of shapes and thechoice of colourswere essentially a creativeendeavour; with jogak bo however the finestitching of themany seamswasmore akin

toprayer, an act ofdedicationanddevotionthroughwhicheachstitchcontributedtotheaccumulation of blessings in the finishedwork.Wrappingclothswereusuallyintendedforuse by themaker’s own family and, as aconsequence, theywereprecious andat leasthalfofthesurvivingjogakbowereapparentlynever used. Instead they were stored awaysafely andhandeddown through the family,clearly indicating the high value assigned tothemandtotheirmakers’creativityandtalent.

It is mainly this very beautiful patchworkformofbojagi,thejogakbo,whichhascapturedthe attention of contemporary textile lovers,collectorsandartists.Itsuniqueappealseemstolieinthespecialsynergythatoccurswhenpatchwork’s infinitevariablesof form,fabricandcolour encounter the sereneausterityoftheKoreanaesthetic.

Bojagi today The recognition of bojagi as an art form byKorean curators and collectors has served asa stimulus for many contemporary Koreantextileartists.Inresponse,theartistKimHyeon-hui for example has dedicated herself, in thetrue spirit of jang-in, which is the essence ofKorean craftsmanship, to producing the veryfinesttraditionalbojagiwhoseformsarefurtherenhancedbyhercontemporaryartisticvision.

Additionally, artists such as Dr Sung-SoonLee,Won Ju Seo andYeon-SoonChanghavegeneratedabodyofworkinspiredbybojagithatabandonstraditionalformtoembracefashion,interior design and sculptural installations.These new interpretations are far removedfromtheessentialfunctionalpropertiesofthetraditional wrapping cloth but, at the sametime, the deep respect Korean makers havefor theirmaterials and skills, aswell as theirtraditionalforms,isclearlyenshrinedinthesecontemporaryworks,inparticularthroughthereinterpretationofjogakbo.

Korean wrapping cloths have also arousedinternational interest and acclaim in recentdecades.Myownfirst encounterwithbojagiwas in London in 1990, when I saw theexhibitionTraditional KoreanWrapping ClothsattheVictoria&AlbertMuseum.Drawnfromthe collection of Seoul’sMuseum of KoreanEmbroidery, the exhibition was fresh fromdisplay at the Fitzwilliam and AshmoleanMuseums in Cambridge and Oxford. In1995-96, Profusion of Color: Korean Costumes&WrappingClothsoftheChosonDynasty,wasshownintheUnitedStates,inSanFrancisco,Washington and Salem. This exhibitionwasre-presented in 1998 at the PowerhouseMuseum in Sydney asRapt in colour:KoreantextilesandcostumesoftheChosondynasty.

yeMul bo, wEddiNg gifT wRAPPiNg cLOTh fOR ORdiNARy PEOPLE (MIN BO), 1800S, KOREA.

cOLLEcTiON MUSEUM Of KOREAN EMBROidERy, SEOUL, KOREA


Regardless of our origins, bojagi embodyprofound cultural and human values towhich we respond, conveying throughtheir materials, form and living presencethe combined inherited experiences of theirmakers.Forme,twentyyearsagoinLondon,itwas loveatfirstsightwith thesebeautifuland evocative cloths, with their colour andvibrancy,skilledexecutionand,insomecases,a translucency reminiscent of stained glasswindows. My experience was typical, andthe opening ofWesternminds to the charmsof bojagi, in particular the patchwork formjokakbo,hasbeenrapid.Perhaps thestrengthof theEuropeanpatchworktradition, its longrecognitionasanartformandthevibrancyofits contemporary interpretation has ensuredan immediate rapport with Korean jokak bo.Fortextileartists,thisrapportisenhancedbyanawed fascinationwith the inherentdesignpossibilities. Strikingly contemporary in theirabstract expressionism, the visual power ofjokak bo as both resource and inspiration iscontagious,stimulatingastheydotheprospectofcreatingwithfragmentsofclothaworkthatisnewandentirely,reliablyoriginal.

In 2010, at the annual European PatchworkMeetinginFrance,SouthKoreawasinvitedastheGuestofHonourcountry.AmajorprogramofKoreantextileartswaspresentedinHandsofKorea,whichincorporatedtheworkofsome130 Korean artists in four exhibitions and afashionshow.Oneoftheseexhibitions,Bojagiand Beyond featured both traditional KoreanjokakboandcontemporaryinterpretationsbyKoreanandnon-Koreanartists,includingfourfromAustralia:LynNixon,CatherineO’Leary,MariannePenberthyandRobiSzalay.

The exhibition was curated by ChunghieLee, who has taught Korean patchworkinternationallyoverthelast10years.WrappingTraditions:KoreanTextilesNow,alsocuratedbyChunghieLee, is ondisplay at theMuseumofCraftandFolkArtinSanFranciscountil22October2011.Thisexhibition featuresbojagi-inspiredcontemporaryworksbyKoreanandnon-Korean textile artists. Contemporaryinterpretations are not bound by folkloricconventions but vary at will ‘to create newmeaningsthattranscendborders’(quotefromMuseumpromotion).Theirtraditionaloriginsneverthelessshinethrough.

An appreciation of the value of culture andauthentic cultural products to the overallqualityofhumanlifehasgrownsignificantlyover recent decades, as their survival hasbeenincreasinglythreatened.Thisawarenesshas prompted efforts worldwide to ensurethe survival of traditional craft formsunderthreat from changing aspirational values

and the increasing availability of cheaperalternative products. Quite as important asthecollectionoftheseauthenticproductsandtheir consignment to safe museum storageareas, has been the documentation andpreservation of the skills required for theirproductioniethelivingculture.

At the same time, as can be seen clearly inthewidespreadinterestinKoreanbojagi,thisbroader appreciation of traditional cultureshas stimulated the production of culturalproductsthatreproduce,rediscover,reinventor are simply inspired by traditional forms.Inmanycases,preservationand reinventionoverlap as skilled entrepreneur designerswork with the holders of traditional skillsto develop high quality products which aregroundedinanddependentupontraditionalarts but which nevertheless have strongmarket appeal in a world flooded withsingularlydisposablemerchandise.

christina Sumner is Principal curator design &

Society at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. A textile

historian, she has curated and written about numerous

exhibitions on Asian textile arts and culture and has

published and lectured widely on traditional textiles

and textile technology.

rEfErEncEshuh, dong-hwa, 1990, (Middleton, Sheila h. trans.). Traditional

Korean Wrapping Cloths, Museum of Korean Embroidery, Seoul.

Lee, chunghie, 2010. Bojagi and Beyond, Beyond & Above

Publishers, Providence, USA.

Roberts, claire and huh, dong-hwa (eds), 1998. Rapt in colour:

Korean textiles and costume of the Choson dynasty, Powerhouse

Publishing, Sydney.

www.handsofkorea.com

http://www.mocfa.org/exhibitions

weaRable Pojagi, PATchwORK RAMiE VEST By wON JU SEO, NEw JERSEy, 2009.

cOLLEcTiON NEwARK MUSEUM, c. cUTTiNg BEQUEST fUNd, 2010


“On a spiritual level, it is an ancientbeliefthatmaterialisaformofenergy.The makers transfer the energy ofthe material into the jewellery theycreate, transforming thewearer into apowerfulbeing.Onceyouunderstandthe visual language of jewellery, youbegin to appreciate the full spectrumof the prominent role that jewelleryplays in recording a nation’s culturalheritage.” (Yoon-Jung (Elaine) Kim attheWCCsymposium,2011)

he concept of the transfer of energythrough the making process is an

interesting way to understand JoungmeeDo’swork.Joungmeetransformsmetalusingtraditionalmetalworkingtechniquestomakevessels and jewellery which valorise herKorean heritage and exemplify skilled craftpractice. Her work is clearly contemporaryand at the forefront of jewellery and metalobject making. In her work, Joungmeechallenges accepted craft traditions andincorporatessignificantsymbolsandimageryfromKoreanfolkpaintings.

The dialogue between traditional crafts andcontemporary practice is currently receivingscrutiny, particularly inAsia and the Pacificregions where traditional crafts are stillwidely practiced, for example at eventssuch as Abhushan, a jewellery symposiumorganised by the World Crafts Council inNew Delhi, February 2011. As Yoon-Jung(Elaine) Kim, Deputy Director of theWorldJewellery Museum in Seoul stated at thissymposium, the Korean government is nowtrying to findways to re-enliven traditionalcraft practice, pairing young makers withmastercraftspeoplesothatthecraftedobjectmadebytraditionalmethodsdoesnotbecomeapale‘souvenir’ofitself.

TheRepublicofSouthKoreahasagovernmentinitiative to preserve traditional techniquesandintangibleculturalheritagewhichincludedance, theatre and crafts. This is achievedin a variety of ways including recognitionfor master craftspeople and assisting in thepassingonofknowledge.

Onewayof linking traditional craftpracticewith contemporary is through the stagingof large international craft biennale such asthe Cheongju Craft Biennale. At the 2005

CheongjuCraftBiennalesymposium,Hyun-miYangfromtheKoreaCultureandTourismPolicyInstitute stated: “Two types of resources existforcraftasaculturalindustry;traditionalcraftsandcontemporarycrafts”.Shefearedthattherewas little discourse between the two, and as aconsequence: “This explains the separatepathsalongwhichthesetwoareasofcraftevolve,andhowcontemporarycraftfailstolead,asitshould,themodernisationofitscounterpartandhelpthelattergrowintoanindustry.”(Yang2005)

Spiritof jang-in:treasuresofKoreanmetalcraft,an exhibition being held at the PowerhouseMuseum in Sydney in October this year,attempts to bridge this gap by includingcontemporary metalwork alongside historicexamples. Korea has a very long metalworking tradition and the Silla (one of thekingdoms of the Three Kingdoms period(c300 – 668 CE) and ruler of most of theKoreanpeninsulafrom668–935)createdverybeautifulanduniqueobjects ingoldsuchastherareSillagoldcrownfromthe6thcentury,on loan to this exhibition from theNationalMuseumofKorea.Thiswillnotonlybeone

ofthefirstopportunitiesforsuchaculturallysignificantexhibitionofKoreanmetalworktobeseeninAustralia: itoffersanopportunityto explore the cross- over between thecontemporaryandtraditionalandforawiderdebatewithcraftspeopleandthepublicaboutthesignificanceofsuchcraftedobjects.

Joungmee Do’s work in particularcombines contemporary materials withtraditional techniques. Joungmee receivedher undergraduate degree from KookminUniversity, Seoul and aMaster ofArts fromRoyal Melbourne Institute of TechnologyUniversity,Melbourne.ShecametoAustraliain 1997, where she now lives with hersilversmith husband Daehoon Kang. Eventhough she lives at a distance from herhomeland,herdesire is tofindnewwaysofincorporatingKorean culture into herwork.Craft practices evolve and shift with thedevelopmentof technologiesand influences,ahealthyculturebenefitsbyquestioningandchallenging accepted traditions. I believeJoungmee challenges traditions and thusextendscontemporarycraftpractice.

T

g r o u n d E d i n t r a d i t i o n : t h E c o n t E m p o r a r y W o r K o f J o u n g m E E d o

MarianHoskingliddEdBoWl, JOUNgMEE dO, STEEL, fiNE SiLVER, fiNE gOLd, OdONg (5% fiNE gOLd, 95% cOPPER),

BRONZE. 300x200MM (h) PhOTO: TERENcE BOgUE


In her covered bowls, Joungmee Do crossestraditional boundaries by constructing liddedvessels in metal with chiselled and inlayedsurfacesthatdisplayintricatepatternsandtextureusually associated with textile processes suchas embroidery andwrapping clothes (bojagi) orWancho basketry. Textile craft in Korea includesembroidery, patchwork and quilting, and ispredominantly practiced by women. Koreanpatchwork is quite unique, made either withopenweaveramie,whichlendsitselftogeometricpatterning or small pieces of silk with intricateembroiderywhichwouldhavebeenadetailonaspecialpieceofclothing,eachpiececarefullyhandstitched together. Bojagi cloth is a square fabricusedtowrapfoodandpreciousobjectstomakethemeasier to carry, but increasingly in today’ssocietyanimportantcoveringusedasamarkofrespect.Another traditional craft is the creationof liddedbasketsandotherobjectsusingareedoften found in rice paddies calledWancho. Theparticular inlay method utilised by her wouldoriginally have been executed by craftsmen todecorateweaponsandarmour.

JoungmeeDo’s lidded bowls,whichwill beexhibitedat thePowerhouseMuseum,showincrediblepatience anddexterity.Theyhavea rich surface that is reminiscent of smallpatches of fabric with a ‘running stitch’between them. She has hand chiselled theentire surface, coloured by heat treatmentand inlayedwithvariousmetals to trick theviewer and create a sensation of soft fabricon the seemingly tough metal. The interioriscoveredwithanaturallacquer.Thebowl’ssurfacepatternisveryreminiscentofaramiebogajiwrappingcloth.

Theuseofetchedstainlesssteelisaninnovationinthisareaofinlayworkwhichwouldnormallybemadeofblacksteel.Joungmeehasperfectedand continues to utilise this technique in herjewellery as seen in her recent exhibition,Longevity at e.g.etal Gallery in Melbourne. In

this exhibition, as the title suggests, Joungmeehasdrawnonatraditionofusingsymbolsthatrepresentahealthyandlonglife.Thesesymbolswere often included in objects and scrollspresented as gifts, especially for the birthdaysofolderpeoplewhoarewellrespectedinKorea.The 10 longevity symbols are the sun, clouds,mountains, rocks, water, cranes, deer, turtles,pine trees, and sacred fungus. The intentionis to encourage contemplation and enjoymentofnature.

Joungmee Do has significantly simplifiedthe longevity symbols in her jewellery suchas her turtle necklace and brooch which hasan oval pendant formwith a stylised patternrepresenting the segments on a turtle shellexecuted in contrasting metals. In pine treenecklace the needles of the Korean pine treebecomearepetitivemotif.Theuseofavarietyofmetalsincludingsteelandfinesilver,925silver,puregoldand18 caratgoldaddcontrast andcontributetothegraphicqualityoftheseworks.Iwasparticularlyenchantedbythesimplicityofhersegmentednecklacewhereseveral formedunitshaveleaflike‘windows’inacelebrationofdecorativemotifsandfinecraftsmanship.

Inaninterviewwiththeartistsheexpressedher desire to: “explore the ‘hidden culture’from my own background that joins thepast to thepresentwithin the contextofmycontemporary jewellery practice. It revealstraditional symbols of longevity and theinterpretationofthesymbolsareintendedtoengage the curiosity of viewers. In thiswaythe work demonstrates how contemporaryexpressioncanbelinkedwiththetraditionalcontextof theKoreanspiritualandsymbolicworld.” (Interview by the author withJoungmeeDo,June2011,KewAustralia)

It is my hope that Joungmee will hold anexhibition of her work in Seoul in the nearfuture. Her work truly responds to the

challenge to “maintain the delicate balancebetween the ‘preservationist’ view of craftas intangible heritage and its true status asliving tradition including the contemporarypractices.”(Kim2011)dr Marian hosking is a practicing silversmith and

Senior Lecturer, faculty of Art & design, Monash

University.

rEfErEncEsKim, yoon-Jung (Elaine), On Icons of Identity in Jewellery, Speech at

Abhushan, the world crafts council Symposium, New delhi 2011.

yANg hyun-mi, 2005 International Crafts Symposium, cheongju

Early Printing Museum, cheongju 2005. Symposium paper.

Brooch,2011, JOUNgMEE dO, STEEL, fiNE SiLVER,

fiNE gOLd. 55x75x10MM. PhOTO: JEREMy diLLON

Brooch,2011, JOUNgMEE dO, STEEL, STAiNLESS STEEL,

fiNE SiLVER. 55x65x10MM. PhOTO: JEREMy diLLON

pinEtrEEnEcKpiEcE,2011, JOUNgMEE dO, fiNE SiLVER, STEEL,

fiNE gOLd, STERLiNg SiLVER. 75x65x35MM. PhOTO: JEREMy diLLON


011 is the Australian – Korean Year ofFriendship,markingthe50thanniversary

of diplomatic relations between the twocountries.Anumberofeventsarebeingheldincelebration,includingamajornewexhibitionofKoreanandAustraliancontemporaryart.

The core of the exhibition comprises asignificant collection of historical worksby important artists from both countries,including Paik Nam June, Marr Grounds,Stelarc, Ken Unsworth, Shim Moon-Seup,Lee Kang-So, Quac Insik and Lee U-Fan. Italso features contemporary artists such asBrookAndrew,LouiseWeaver,Nyapanyapa,CharlieSofo,BrownCouncil,KimBeom,YangHaegue,Yeesookyung,ChungSeoyoungandJungMarie.

A first-time collaboration between theMuseum of Contemporary Art (MCA)in Sydney and the National Museum of

ContemporaryArt (NMOCA) in Seoul, it isinspired by the visit of PaikNam June andCharlotteMoormantoSydneyin1976andtheBiennale of Sydney in the same year,RecentInternational Forms of Art, that included agroupofimportantartists.

Whilst Paik and Moorman held theirexhibitionsandperformances,KoreanartistsLee U-Fan, Quac Insik, Shim Moon-SeupandLeeKang-So showed theirworksat theBiennale. Tom McCullough, curator of theBiennale,hadmetStelarcinJapan.StelarcinturnmetLeeU-FanwhohadmetQuac,ShimandLeeKang-So.

Jointly curated by MCA Curator GlennBarkleyandNMOCACuratorKimInhye,theprojecthighlights thehistorical andongoingconnections betweenAustralian andKoreanartandshowcasesworksfromthecollectionsofbothmuseums.

TheexhibitionexploresKoreanandAustralianconceptual,fluxusand technological art andregional variation in both countries overthe last 35years.Whereas the1976Biennaleconsisted ‘of anything other than painting’,TellMeTellMeincludeseverything:painting,sculpture,installation,videoandperformanceart.

Thecurrentexhibitionjuxtaposesworksfromthe original Biennale against later works,enabling the viewer to see relationshipsbetween the past and present, real orimagined, directly or indirectly influenced.Similarly,whilstmanyoftheAustralianartistswouldhavebeenunfamiliarwiththeworkofthe Korean artists and vice versa, there areaestheticandconceptuallinkages.

For example, rocksor stones featureheavilyinAustralianKenUnsworth’ssculptureStoneHouse2011butarealsocentraltoLeeSeung-

2

t E l l m E t E l l m E : A U S T R A L i A N A N d K O R E A N A R T 1 9 7 6 – 2 0 1 1

SongMiSim

gRey FoReSTeR, 2005, LOUiSE wEAVER, LAMBSwOOL, SiLVER ThREAd, fELT ANd cOTTON ThREAd OVER high dENSiTy fOAM. 96 x 94.5 x 39 cM. ciTy Of STONNiNgTON cOLLEcTiON.

iMAgE cOURTESy ThE ARTiST ANd dARREN KNighT gALLERy, SydNEy © ThE ARTiST

23TA A S A R E V i E w V O L U M E 2 0 N O . 3 23

Teak’sGodretStone1956-60andQuac Insik’spiecesWorkNo111976andWorkNo131976.

AnotherQuacwork,which,likethoseabove,appears in the 1976 and present exhibition,isThing andThing 1975.Quacusedwater toinscribe a circle on stretched Hanji paper(Korean mulberry paper) and then pushedthe circle slightly out of the paper. From adistance,itappearsasthoughthereisacircleof ink on a sheet of paper but the effect iscreated by the separated circle hanging bytinyfibersfromthemainpieceofpaper.

Lee Seung Teak’s Godret Stone, in whichrocksarehungfromaloom,createsasimilarillusion: the concept of hard stone beingchallenged by the string looped round acarvedcentralgrooveineachrockgivingtheimpressionofmalleability.

LeeU-FanistheleadingtheoreticalproponentofMono-ha(schoolofthings).HisSituationII1975isexhibitedforthefirsttimesincebeingacquired by the Mildura Arts Centre afterthe 1976 Biennale, when it was shown withSituationI1975.Bothworksincorporatestones,charcoal, canvas and lamps but the conceptlies in the encounter between the objects, asmuchastheobjectsthemselves.SituationIIcanbeconfigured in twoways–eitherasa lightbulbsittingona largeboulder illuminatingacharcoalcircleonawallor,as it is inTellMeTellMe,suspendedfromtheceilingoveralargerectangularcanvas,withastoneineachcorner,lighting another charcoal circle. Its simplicityrewards thosewho linger as the focus shiftsfromtheordinarinessoftheobjectsthemselvesto the impact theyhaveon the spacearoundthem.Artisnotwhatis‘created’byartistsassomething totallynew, rather it is anactivitythroughwhich thatwhich exists originally isrevealed,lettingitsexistencebeperceived.

ItispossibletodivinetheancestryofmanyofthemorecontemporaryKoreanpieces intheexhibition in forebears of the 1970s.Naturalobjects or everyday items are transformedintoartthroughtheinterventionoftheartist.

Talking about Tell Me Tell Me, Kim Inhyeprovided a rationale for this approach. Sheexpressed the view that the Western worldtendstothinkoftimeaslinear,astraightline,and is therefore constantly looking forwardfor new ideas and innovations. In the East,however,timeisthoughtofasacircle.Thereisno conceptofpast or future, onlypresentwhich isperhapsalsoacombinationofboththepastandthefuture.

InChungSeoyoung’sLightfromaBicycle2007,a lamp is attached toabicycle and the light

from the lamp shines through a hole in thewall. Kim Beom playswith our perceptionsby transposing the appearance and functionofhouseholdappliancesinAnIronintheFormofaRadio,aKettleintheFormofanIron,andaRadio in the Form of a Kettle2002.Merely byendowinganewfunctionbetweenthevisualimageandthecognitiveimageoftheobjects,Kim addresses the perceptual limitationunderlying an image. He creates somethingunusualfromsomethingordinary.

In another example of creating art fromsomething which pre-exists, YesookyongdesignsastageforJungMarie,aJeoggasinger,toshowcasehertalentinWhileOurTrystHasBeenDelayed2010.JeoggaisaformofKoreanmusicconsistingoftherecitingoftraditionalthree-verseodes.Whilstavideooftherecitalformsapermanentpartoftheexhibition,JungMariephysicallyperformedonYesookyong’sstage three times during the exhibition (seefrontcoverimage).TocreateTheBreathtaking(2009),KilChosil climbedMountGyeryong,wellknownforitsstrongenergy,andtrappedthebreathoffemaleshamansinaglassvessel.

Theseartistsarenotplayingaroleascreatorbutratherdocumenting interactionsofanexistingorder,actingasamediatortoan‘outerworld’.

Tell Me Tell Me is a story about encounters:the series of encounters between the artistsfeaturing in the exhibition (see front coverimage),datingbacktothe1976Biennale,theencounter between the years 1976 and 2011andbetweenKoreaandAustralia.Dayafterday, encounters occur suggesting variouspatterns and dimensions – unavoidableinteractions between beings and objectsacrosstheworld.

In another type of encounter, some of theworks by Australian artists appear to havebeen chosen for their similarity to Koreancounterparts–orperhapsitistheotherwayaround. Gamu Mambu (Blood Song) 2010 byChristianThompson,avideoworkfeaturinga Dutch opera singer performing in anAboriginal language shares a commonalitywith Yesookyong’s Jeogga singer and,appropriately the two works appear onthe front and back covers of the exhibitioncatalogue.

ForaninterestingcounterpointtoKimBeom’sworkmentioned above, In No SmallWonder2005, LouiseWeaver covers rocks, branchesand even a foam animal in knitted fabric,but rather than disguising the underlyingobject, its shape isemphasized.GreyForester2005 applies the same technique to a foamkangaroo. Her work challenges the spacebetween the naturalworld and the artificialworld,betweenartandcraft.

Tell Me Tell Me was held in the National ArtSchool Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney from17 June to 24August 2011. Itwill travel to theNMOCAinSeoul,Koreawhereitwillbeexhibitedfrom8November2011to19February2012.

Song Mi Sim is a practicing artist and graduate of the

National Art School. She is a Korean national living

in Australia with a particular interest in Korean art.

rEfErEncEsBarkley, glenn, 2011. Pacific Triangle, Artist Profile Issue 14,

nextmedia, St Leonards.

Barkley, glenn and Kim, inhye, 2011. Tell Me Tell Me: Australian

and Korean Art 1976-2011, Exhibition catalogue, McA, Sydney

and NMOcA, Korea.

goDReT STone, 1956-60, SEUNg-TEAK LEE, STONE, STRiNg. 250 x 150 cM. NATiONAL MUSEUM Of cONTEMPORARy ART, KOREA.

iMAgE cOURTESy ThE NATiONAL MUSEUM Of cONTEMPORARy ART KOREA © ThE ARTiST.


K o r E a n c i n E m a t o d a y: K o r E a g o E s t o h o l ly W o o d

KieranTully

incetheemergenceofthe‘Koreanwave’inthelate90’s,whichreferstothespread

of Korean popular culture throughoutAsia,Korean film has had its ups and downs.Rising to a high in the mid 2000’s, whenKorean cinema dominated the box-officewith more than 50% of the local market,andKoreandirectorspickedupawardsandadulationworldwide, therehas sincebeenaslightfall inthegrowthoftheindustry.Thiswas largely expectedas the industry’s rapidgrowth finally caught upwith itself.As weenterthenewdecadetherehasbeenafurtherresurgence,seeminglylinkedtonewtrendsinthemarketplace.Hollywood previously turned to Korea,producing remake after remake of classicKorean films, such as “My Sassy Girl”(remade as “My Sassy Girl”), “Il Mare”(remade as “The LakeHouse”) and “A TaleofTwoSisters”(remadeas“TheUninvited”).While demonstrating the depth of qualityof the Korean filmmarket, foreign remakesdidn’t really benefit Korea due to lack ofexposure to the original and the poorerquality of the remake. This seems to havekick-started Korean industry initiatives toturn to Hollywood first and thus keep therevenuestothemselves.

Examples of this are CJ Entertainment, apowerhouse in the Korean media industry,commissioning an English language remakeof “Castaway on the Moon” (Closing filmofKOFFIA2010).SettobedirectedbyMarkWaters (“Mean Girls”), rather than waiting

for the rights to be bought by anAmericandistributor and sloppily remade, CJ isproactively taking advantage of the film’ssuperb content by maintaining creativecontrolofthenewproduct.Theendresultisyet tobeseen,andwhile it couldbearguedthat it’sevenmorepointless to remakeyourowncontent,itcouldbeanintelligentmovebythemediagianttoprotectitsinterests.

The major change happening in the KoreanmarketisthatitskeyfiguresarefinallychoosingtomoveontoHollywood-acommonstepforAustraliadirectors.ThelikesofPhilipNoyce,AlexProyasandPeterWeirhavealloperatedregularly in Hollywood for decades. Mostrecently Gregor Jordan and David Michodhave also made this jump. Now despite thesuccesses of “Joint Security Area” and “OldBoy”,consideredtwoofthebestKoreanfilmsever made and highly popular worldwide,Park Chan-wook chose to stay in Korea andcontinuehistrade.BongJoon-ho,whodirectedthe No. 1 Korean Box-office film of all time,“The Host”, which was also received verypositivelyworldwide, also chose to continuetomakefilmsintheRepublic.Thelistgoesonandon.Eitherduetolackofinterestorastrongpassion for their local industry, top Koreandirectors never seemed to even considermakingthisstep.Thisisnowchanging.

Bong Joon-ho (“The Host”, “Mother”,“MemoriesofMurder”)iscurrentlypreppinganewfilmthat is rumoured tobeproducedbyJ.JAbrams(“Super8”,StarTrek”)andbeinEnglish.ParkChan-wook’s(“Sympathyfor

LadyVengeance”,“Thirst”)Englishlanguagedebut“Stoker”issettostarAustralia’sNicoleKidmanandMiaWasikowskaandispennedbyWentworthMiller(ofTV’s“PrisonBreak”).There is no doubt that relations betweenHollywood and theHollywood ofAsia, arebecomingevencloser.Infact“KungFuPanda2”was the firstHollywoodproduction evertobedirectedbyanAsianwoman-Korean-AmericanJenniferYuh.

With the likes of “Wonder Girls” touringthe United States, it is a clear sign that theAmericanmarketisakeygoalofKoreanmediacompanies.Comedies,thelongdismissedgenreoftheglobalisedfilmmarket,arefinallystartingtobereleasedinAmerica.“TheLastGodfather”,“Detective K” and “Hello Ghost” will all bereleasedinNorthAmericathisyear,andsothereactionwillbeinterestingtosee.Slightlymorethan 50 Korean films have been released onDVDinAustraliatodate,onlyoneofwhichisacomedy.SohopefullythistrendextendstomorethanjusttheUS,butalsofor…us.

WhiletherehavebeenKoreanfilmshowcases,touring events and small scale screenings inAustraliabefore2010,anannualKoreanFilmFestival did not exist. Realising there was astrongdemandforKoreanmediaandahungrySydneyaudiencereadytoembracenewformsof cinema, the first Korean Film Festival inAustralia was formed. KOFFIA (the KoreanFilm Festival inAustralia) was organised bytheConsulateGeneraloftheRepublicofKorea.

S

CaSTaway on The Moon. iMAgE cOURTESy: ShOwBOx


KOFFIA first took place in October 2010at Dendy Opera Quays, Sydney. A smallscaleevent thatranfor5daysover the longweekend,itmanagedtoconnectwiththelocalAustralian audience immediately. Around1,220peopleattended the8 screenings,with99%statingtheywantedmore!

ThefestivalusedthesloganHungryforDrama,identifying the two things mostAustraliansseemtoconnectwithKorea:dramas(KoreanTelevisionShows)andKoreanfood.AlackofaccesstoKoreancinemaexists:barringillegaldownloads or the odd library collection, itis veryhard tofindawide rangeofKoreanfilmsinAustralia.ForthatreasontheKOFFIA2010 line-upwas specifically chosen to offeradiverseselectionofcinemaandsomethingpeoplehadneverseenbefore.

It included a range of film genres: Thriller(“Mother”), Comedy (“Castaway on theMoon”),Sport(“LikeaVirgin”),Documentary(“Old Partner”),Action (“Rough Cut”), Pop(“200PoundsBeauty”) andDramas (“SecretSunshine”,“TheHousemaid”).Allselectionsproved to be popular, with the audienceawardvotegoing to the classicK-popspoof“200 Pounds Beauty”. Other audiencehighlights were Bong Joon-ho’s intensemystery“Mother”whichopenedthefestival,and the beautifully nuanced “Castaway ontheMoon”fromfestivalguestLeeHae-jun.

Inauniqueapproach,KOFFIAalso includedaspects other than film. This encompassedculturalperformances(Taekwondo,Samulnoriand Korean Traditional Dance) and musicalperformances(MattPurcell,HanyLee)tokeep

the atmosphere going. In just a short periodof timeKOFFIAmanaged to create a specialfestivalmood,deliveringaprofessionaleventwithastrongpersonalfeeltoit.

KOFFIA 2011 is almost upon us again andwillbegreatlyexpandedto25screeningsover6 days in Sydney and 4days inMelbourne.TheKOFFIAstaffnowworkoutofthenewlyopened Korean Cultural Office. We willcontinuewithourpopularadditionalevents,includingoureducationandindustryforums,our cultural andmusical performances, andour YKFA Young Korean Filmmakers inAustraliacompetition.

ReturningtotheDendyOperaQuaysfrom24-29August,thisyear’sline-upwillshowcasearangeofthelatestandgreatestincontemporaryKoreancinemaaswellasaselectionofclassicretrospective films never before screened inAustralia. So far we have announced justa sampling of our exciting line-up, whichincludes Park Chan-wook’s award winningworldwide phenomenon “Night Fishing”whichwasshotentirelyonaniPhone4.

We have recently launched a popular blog,which covers all things Korean cinema.KOFFIA contributors tookpart in the recentworldwideKorean blogathon,withKOFFIAstaff submitting more than 15 entries in 1week alone. It nowhas garneredmore than4,000 views and continues to grow, withentries from industry experts Richard Gray(DVDBits), SarahWard (The Reel Bits) andSamson Kwok (Heroic Cinema). We acceptsubmissionsfromanyonewithaninterestingcommentonKoreancinema.

KOFFIA gracesMelbourne for the first timeever this September, inwhatwill be 4 daysof drama, comedy, action andmore. TakingplaceatACMICinemas,theAustralianCentrefor the Moving Image, Federation Square,Melbournefrom10–13September,thefestivalwill encompass the Korean ThanksgivingHolidayofChuseok.

Presenting a showcase of the latest hits, aswellasafewclassics,theKoreanFilmFestivaloffers a direct chance for people to satisfytheirhungerforKoreandrama.Don’tmissit!

Kieran Tully is Marketing and festivals Manager at the

Korean cultural Office Australia. he has previously

worked at more than 20 different film festivals across

Sydney and is currently completing a Master of Arts in

Asian film at the Australian film Television and Radio

School (AfTRS).

200 PounD beauTy. iMAgE cOURTESy: cJ ENTERTAiNMENT


he Korean Cultural Office (KCO)openedon4AprilintheheartofSydney

opposite Hyde Park. Coinciding with the50th anniversary of diplomatic relationshipbetween Australia and Korea, its openingis a first, celebrating the Year of Friendshipbetweenthetwocountries.TheKCOperformsthe role of cultural ambassador inAustralia.Ithopestoenlightenandentertainthepublicby presenting Korean contemporary andtraditional culture in order to strengthen thebondbetweenourtwocountries.Itfurtheraimsto improve cross-cultural exchange betweenthediverseculturesfoundinAustralia.

For this 50th anniversary celebration,our program of cultural exchange in thearts is particularly active. The Museumof Contemporary Art, Sydney has beencollaborating with the National Museum ofContemporary Art, Korea for the exhibitionTell Me, Tell Me at the National School ofArt, Sydney. SydneyCollege of theArts andSookmyung Women’s University, Seoul areworking together on an exhibition exchangeproject.Inaddition,thePowerhouseMuseumisworkingcloselywiththeNationalMuseumof Korea on a major Korean metal craftsexhibitionopeninginOctober.

TheKCOisitselfcurrentlyholdingaKoreancontemporary art exhibition, Korean ArtToday.GiventhetrailblazinglegacyofKoreanvideoartistNamJunePaik,videoworkswillparticularly attract visitors, but the variousformsofartworksfromtheNationalMuseumof Contemporary Art, Korea, includingpaintings,photographsandsculpturesinthisexhibition enable visitors to review Koreancontemporaryartataglance.

The KCO also organises musical and otherperformanceevents.TheopeningceremonyoftheYearof Friendshipon 4April,CelebratingMateshipwasashowcaseforavarietyofKoreantraditional and contemporary performers,musicians and dancers, and included anextraordinary musical performance by acrossoverchamberorchestraofKorea’sleadingyoung traditional and classical musicians. Itattractedanaudienceofmorethan1,000attheSydneyTownHall.Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA)willcomebackagainthisyearon24Augustfor6daysatDendyOperaQuayscinemainSydney and inMelbourne at theAustralian

Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) from10–13September.Furthermore,CinemaonthePark, a freeKoreanfilmnight, is held everyThursdayattheKCO.

TheKCOrunsseveralculturalclassesanditslibrarypossesses about 2,000Korean relatedmaterials.TheKCOlibraryprovidesaccesstothedigitaldatabaseofboththeKoreaNationalAssembly Library andNational Library, theonlyaccesspointof itskind inAustralia.Ofall our activities,TheKoreanCuisine (Koreancooking class) is inmost demand: the KCOholds two cooking classes per week andevery class is full of peoplewilling to learnthediversityofKoreanfoodsuchasBibimbap,BulgogiandKimchi.

Hangeul (Korean Language) is also beingintroduced to about 80Australians throughthreelanguageclasses,dividedintobeginnerand intermediate levels. Due to the highpopularity of Korean drama inmanyAsiancountries, a large number of AustralianswithAsianbackgroundsattendtheseclasses,which aim to provide a stress-free, relaxedenvironmentforlearningKorean.

School excursion and School Holidayprograms aim to allow young Australiansto experience Korean culture at the KCO.Targeting public school students who arelearning Korean as their second language,the KCO presents them with a deeperunderstanding of Korean culture through aguided tour and other cultural activities. Inaddition, the excursion program is a great

opportunity for second or third generationKorean-Australians toexperiencethecultureandinvestigatetheirroots.

Inthenearfuture,theKCOwillholdaK-POPclass to satisfy young Australians’ highdemandforKoreanpopularmusic.Fiddleronthe Park is also inplanning stage toprovidefree violin lessons by a voluntary Koreanviolinistforyoungstudentsunabletohaveachancetolearntoplayamusical instrumentduetoeconomicorsocialreasons.

Sinceweassumethatsharingartandcultureisthebestwaytopromotebetterunderstandingbetween countries, the KCO will continueto offer more Korean cultural classes and arteventsinAustralia.ThisdoesnotmeanthattheKCOwillonlyaimtoincreasetheexposureofKorean culture inAustralia. To achieve activetwowayculturalexchange,wearealsofocusingon enhancing the level of understanding ofAustraliainKoreabyactingasabridgebetweenthe two countries. Recognising the diversityofculture inAustralia, theKCOwill sparenoeffort to achieve mutual understanding andrespectforeachother’sculturesinthecontextofamulticulturalAustralia.

young-soo Kim is the director of the Korean cultural

Office. he has worked at the Ministry of culture,

Sports and Tourism, Korea for 16 years. he graduated

from the Seoul National University (SNU), majoring

in Aesthetics. he studied at the graduate school of

SNU as well as Syracuse University, majoring in Public

Administration.

T

i n t r o d u c i n g t h E K o r E a n c u l t u r a l o f f i c E , s y d n E y

Young-sooKim

The KoRean CuiSine – cOOKiNg cLASSES AT ThE KcO. PhOTO: chRiS ShiN

27TA A S A R E V i E w V O L U M E 2 0 N O . 3 27

in thE puBlic domain: A KOREAN-AUSTRAL iAN NEcKP iEcE AT ThE POwERhOUSE MUSEUM

AlyshaBuss

heAsianartanddesigncollectionofthePowerhouseMuseum(PHM)isfortunate

to hold many fine examples of metal craft,includingasignificantcollectionofdecoratedJapanesetsuba(swordguards),whichuseanalloyofcopperandgoldnamedshakudo.

WhilethissamealloyislistedinthedescriptionofaneckpiecebyWonHoChong,whichcouldgive the impression of it being Japanese inorigin, it is in fact thefirstKorean-Australianobject in the PHM collection. Japanese termsmayhavebeenusedinthedescriptionratherthanKorean as they are better known in theWestandastheartisthimselfstudiedJapanesemetalcrafttechniques.

The neckpiece consists of copper, shakudo,shibuichi (a copper-silver alloy) and sterlingsilver,andwasmadebyChonginAdelaide,South Australia in 1981. It consists of anorganicallyshapedneckringwitha‘marbled’appearance and a sterling silver push-clasp.Joined to theneck ringby two small hingesare two curvedwires in a contrasting stripepattern. Hanging from these wires by acylindricalhingeisanasymmetricalpendant,which isslightlycurvedalongoneside,andhas an indentation running on a diagonalacrossthefront.Thependantiscomposedofcopper,shakudoandshibuichiinorganic,wave-likelines,withsterlingsilveralongoneedge.

Won Ho Chong was born on 28 October1934 in Busan, South Korea. Chong studiedliterature at university, although interest ledhim to traditional metal craft and design inSeoul during the early 1960s. In 1964 Chongstarted his own jewellery design studio, andin the following years he received awards atinternational craft and design competitions,such as in Japan and the USA. In 1967 heundertookanartist’sresidencyattheYamadaReiko studio in Tokyo. Chong migrated toAustraliain1970,settingupaworkshopinTheRocks,Sydney,andfrom1972-76tutoredattheTinShedsGalleryattheUniversityofSydney.

In 1976 Chong studied Japanesemetal craftunder Master Satsuo Ando, among others,after receiving an Australia Council grant.From1978-1981Chonglecturedat theSouthAustralian College of Advanced Education,anditwasin1981thathemadethisneckpiece.

Chong’sworkisinfluencedbothbytraditionalKorean and Japanese materials, techniques

and craftsmanship, particularlythepatinationofdifferentalloystocreatearangeofcolours.Thedarkbrown to blackmetal seen in theneckpieceisanalloyofcopperandgold, named shakudo in Japaneseor odong in Korean. It is alsoreferredtobymanyothernames,including ‘red copper’, ‘blackgold’,and‘crow’sgold’,thelatterterm due to the similarity of theclassicblue-blackcolourtocrow’sfeathers. However, with differentratiosofgoldtocopper,arangeofcolours can be achieved throughpatination. The blue-black colourisaresultof3-5%gold,browntoblackcoloursareaproductof0.25-3%gold, and ‘purple gold’ has agoldcontentofover10%(Oguchi1983: 125 and O’Dubhghaill &Jones2009:290).

Thesilver-greycolourseenontheneckpieceisanalloyofcopperandsilver called shibuichi in Japanese,andisalsoknownasmistyorhazysilver.Shibuichi,or‘aquarter’,issonamedasthesilverconventionallyamounts to 25% of the alloy’scomposition.Justaswithshakudo/odong, there are colour variationsinshibuichi,suchasalightvariantthat contains a high amountof silver, and a dark variant that containscopper,silverandgold(Oguchi1983:125andO’Dubhghaill&Jones2009:291).

Inbrief,thetraditionalprocessofcreatingthesealloysinvolvesmeltingthecopperinacarboncrucible, and adding the desired quantity ofgold and/or silver. The alloy is then pouredintoamouldinahotwaterbath,thusslowingdown the cooling process and increasing theworkabilityof the ingot. It is thenhammeredorpressedintoasheetorplateandannealed.

Thesurfacefinishingofthefinalworkcreatedfrom these alloys is vital in creating thedesiredcolours.Toachieveagoodresult,thepiece is polished using stone and charcoal,cleanedwithsodiumbicarbonate,dippedinacolouringsolutionmadeofthejuiceofwhiteradish, and finally immersed into a boilingcoloursolution,wherethecolourationofthealloys take place (Oguchi 1983: 125-129 andO’Dubhghaill&Jones2009:291-293).

Thisneckpiecewasdisplayedfrom2005-2010in the Inspired! Design across time exhibition,thePHM’s formerdecorativeartsanddesigngallery, and will be shown again in theexcitingupcomingexhibition,Spiritofjang-in:treasures of Korean metal craft. This exhibitionwill showcase historical and contemporarymasterpiecesofKoreanmetalcraft,andlookatprocesses and the spirit of themaker, that is,theessenceofjang-in.

Alysha Buss is Assistant curator, Asian Arts and

design, at the Powerhouse Museum.

rEfErEncEsO’dubhghaill, coilin and Jones, A. hywel, 2009, ‘Japanese

irogane alloys and patination – a study of production and

application’, in Proceedings of the twenty-third Santa Fe symposium

on jewellery manufacturing technology, Albuquerque, New Mexico,

May 2009, Met-chem Research, pp 289-324.

Oguchi, hachiro, 1983. ‘Japanese Shakudo: its history, properties

and production from gold-containing alloys’, Gold Bulletin 16

(4):125-132

T

nEcKpiEcE, 1981, wON hO chONg, cOLLEcTiON Of

ThE POwERhOUSE MUSEUM, SydNEy. PhOTO: SOThA BOURN


ostcollectorshaveencounteredasituationwhere an object becomes available on

themarketwith such appeal that it can’t beresisted–evenifitmeansstrayingsomewhatfromtheircorecollection.

ThiswasthecasewhenthischarmingKoreanmaebyong vase was offered at auction a fewyearsago.Itisaceladonglazedvasewithironbrownunderglazedecorationoffreelydrawnchrysanthemumscrollsandthreelargeflowerheadsonthebody.Ironbrownradiatingbandsrepresenting stylised chrysanthemum petalsarepaintedontheshoulderandbaseandthereareregularmarkingsonthelip.Theglazeisofathin,greenishgrey,withgreenpoolingonthebaseandinsidetheboatshapedlip.Thefullyglazedbaseisfiredonkilngrit.

The name and shape of the maebyong isderived from theChinesemeiping, generallytranslated asprunusvase.Despite its name,it was actually a storage vessel for wine orperhaps other liquids, and examples havebeenfoundwithbellshapedlids.

Myhusbandand I generally collectChineseceramics from the Song period (960-1279) –but the link between our collecting interestsandthisvaseisnothardtosee.

The production of celadons in Korea beganaroundthe9thorearly10thcenturies.Intermsofbothqualityandquantity, celadonsheldaprominentpositionduringtheGoryeodynasty(918-1392) and were clearly preferred by thecourtandaristocracy.TheywerealsomadeinlargenumbersforuseinBuddhistrituals,oftenadopting special shapes influenced by silverandbronzeprototypes,suchasthekundika.

Therelativelyrapiddevelopmentofceladonsinthe11thcenturyowedmuchtothetransferof Chinese ceramic technology, particularlyfromtheYuewarekilnsinZhejiangProvince.ResearchhasconfirmedthatthetechnologyofKorean celadonmanufacture ismost closelyrelated to Southern rather than NorthernChinese centres of celadon production,in terms of firing temperatures, glazecomposition,microstructureandkilndesign.

Bythelate11thcentury,theKoreanshadfullymastered the techniques of celadon, theirtechnicalsophisticationrivallingtheChinese.At this point, Korean potters began lookingforinspirationfromarangeofChinesewares,especially from Northern kilns. This seemsto have led to a greater diversification andrefinementoftechniques,shapesanddesigns,

suchastheuseofunderglazeironoxideandwhite slipdecoration recallingCizhouware,andincisedandcarveddecorationssimilartoYaozhougreenware.

In general, Goryeo celadons tend to begreyer than Chinese examples as their glazeis more thinly applied, allowing the greyclaybody to showthrough.Theglaze isalsomoretransparent.Thewideuseof ironoxidedecorationunderaceladonglazeisdistincttoKorea.Thechrysanthemumdesignonthebodyof thismaebyong vase is somewhat unusual,peonyflowersbeingmorecommon.OnesuchexampleisheldbytheBritishMuseum.

The shape of earlier Koreanmaebyong vasesfollowed Chinese prototypes, for exampleCizhouwaresofthe11thand12thcenturies,withgentlyroundedshoulder,almoststraightbut subtly curved sides and flat base. Themaebyong become more distinctly Koreanduring the second half of the 12th centuryandintothe13th,withnarrowmouth,broadshoulder,narrowingbodyandslightlyflaredfoot, resulting in a decided S shape whichbecamemoreaccentuatedovertime.Onthisbasis,ourmaebyongvaseisanearlyexample,dating to the 12th century.Nowonder thenthatitcaughtoureyeasSongcollectors!

rEfErEncEs

Mowry, R.d., “Koryo celadons”, Orientations Vol. 17, no.5,

May 1986:24-49

Portal, J., 2000. Korea: Art and Archaeology, BM, London.

wood, N., 1994. “Technological Parallels between chinese yue

wares and Korean celadons” in BAKS Papers, 5: pp39-64

c o l l E c t o r ’ s c h o i c E : A K O R E A N M A E B y O N g V A S E

JosefaGreen

M

With Angkor as its capital, the Khmer empire ruled over what is now central and southern Vietnam, southern

Laos, Thailand and part of the Malay Peninsula. Angkor’s superb ruins are the major reason travellers come to

view the great empire’s remnants. Yet Cambodia offers travellers a host of other experiences, including the legacy of outstanding ancient and French colonial architecture, spectacular riverine environments, a revitalising Phnom

Penh and beautiful countryside.

Our wide-ranging Travel With TAASA program sets out to reflect this variety. As well as Angkor we visit other

evocative Khmer temple complexes of immense historical and political significance to the Khmers. Phnom Penh, Battambang, Kampot and Kep are included plus an

interesting diversion to Kompong Thom and nearby Pre-Angkorean Sambor Prei Kuk. Two Cambodian experts are looking forward to sharing their enthusiasm for Cambodia

with you: Gill Green, President of TAASA, art historian and author specialising in Cambodian culture; and

Darryl Collins, prominent Australian expatriate university lecturer, museum curator, and author who has lived

and worked in Cambodia for over twenty years.

Price per person twinshare ex Phnom Penh $4500

To register your interest, reserve a place or for further information contact Ray Boniface

PO Box U237 University of Wollongong NSW 2500 Australia

p: +61 2 4228 3887 m: 0409 927 129e: [email protected]

ABN 21 071 079 859 Lic No TAG1747

H E R I TA G E D E S T I N A T I O N SN AT U R E • B U I L D I N G S • P E O P L E • T R A V E L L E R S

Travel with TAASACambodia: Angkor Wat and Beyond

With Gill Green and Darryl Collins30 October – 16 November 2011

KorEanmaEByongvasE,gORyEO dyNASTy, 12Th cENTURy,

cELAdON gLAZEd wiTh iRON BROwN UNdERgLAZE dEcORATiON.

24cM (h) x 14cM (w) AT ShOULdER x 9cM (BASE).

PhOTO: JOSEfA gREEN

TA A S A R E V i E w V O L U M E 2 0 N O . 3

DrGeorge SoutterAMdied peacefully on13July2011.HavinggrownuponhisfamilyfarminSouthernRhodesia,nowZimbabwe,hegraduatedinmedicinein1959fromtheUniversityofCapeTown.Hecontinuedhispaediatric training inEnglandand in1964wasappointedProfessionalRegistrarattheRoyal Alexandra Hospital for Children inCamperdownafteremigratingtoAustralia.

GeorgewasthecatalystbehindtheOrientalRug Society of NSW (ORS) and becameits first president. He gave generously ofeverything–time,knowledgeandrugs.HedonatedmuchofhispersonalcollectiontothePHM,formingwhatisnowthebasisof

themuseum’scollection,andin2008hewasappointedaLifeFellowofthePowerhouse.

AnotherofGeorgeSoutter’sgreatpassionswas African and Southeast Asian art andsculpture,whichhesawascomplementaryto rugs and which greatly influenced hisown work as a printmaker and sculptor.In recognitionof his generosity and activesupport for theAsian collectionof theArtGalleryofNSW,hewasmadeaBenefactorofthatinstitutionin2006.Manydonationsto the Gallery were ceramics and textiles,ofwhichbothGeorgeandJohnYu,hislongtermpartner,havebeenavidcollectors.

He and John travelledwidely inChina andSoutheastAsia.Inparticular,helovedBali,itscultureanditspeople.HeandJohnintroducedmanyfriendstoabeautyinBalitheywouldotherwise never have found. He loved theprocesses of making and acquiring art andwasalwayshappytoencourageyoungartistsandcounselthebuddingcollector.

In recognition of his services to paediatricmedicineandthedecorativearts,GeorgewasappointedaMemberoftheOrderofAustraliain 2005. He was a teacher who touchedeveryoneinhisprofessionalandpersonallifeandadearfriendwhoweshallmisshugelybutwhoseongoingpresencewewillalwaysfeel.

TAASAwouldliketoacknowledgethesaddeathofGeorgeSoutter,longtermmemberofTAASAandenormouscontributortotheAsianartscommunityinAustralia.BelowisanabridgedversionofanobituarywrittenbyRossLanglandsfortheOrientalRugSocietyofNSWnewsletter(Vol.30,No.4).WethankbothRossandtheORSforpermissiontousethismaterial.

29

g E o r g E s o u t t E r : 1 9 3 4 - 2 0 1 1


t a a s a m E m B E r s ’ d i a r y

SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2011

TAASA NSW

TAASA’s AGM and Textile Study Group meeting – 8 June 2011TAASA’sAGMwasheldthisyearattheJapanFoundation, Chifley Square, Sydney. ThePresidentGillGreenpresentedherreportforthe year and the TreasurerAnn Guild gavetheFinancialReport.Wefarewelledtwolongstanding members of the Executive – KateJohnston(Secretary)andGeraldineHardman–andwelcomed twonewones–YukieSatoand Dy Andreasen. The election in 2010 ofJudithandKenRutherfordasHonoraryLifeMemberswasenthusiasticallyconfirmed.

Following theAGM, TAASA’s Textile StudyGroup held its meeting with a viewing ofAyakoMitsui’s collection of Japanese textilestencils andkimonos.Ayakogaveus abriefhistory of the Mitsui family and how herancestor had moved to Edo (now Tokyo)openingEchigoya(fabricstore)in1673–thepresentdayMitsukoshidepartmentstore.

Ayako brought with her a selection ofbeautiful kimonos that had belonged toher mother and an extensive collection ofstencilsfeaturingdifferentmotifsfromnatureand geometric designs. She discussed howartisans use special tools to cut the intricatepatternsthroughwashi(Japanesericepaper).Thestencilsarethenusedforresistdyingonsilkkimonos.Theartofmakingpaperstencilsfor kimonoprinting, known asKatagami, isthoughttobeoverathousandyearsold.

Themembersandguestsinattendancegreatlyappreciatedtheopportunitytoseetheserarestencils.

Textile Study Group meeting – 10 August 2011At our usual Powerhouse Museum venue,RogerGrellman,anavidcollectorofChinesedress, brought in a number of spectacularexamples of womens’ dress and textileaccessories dating from the mid-19th to theearly 20th century.A particular focus of hiscollection is bound feet shoes.All displayedsuperb workmanship in the decorativetechniques of embroidery and couching.Healso showed us a set of theatrical costumeworn by male actors in female roles, rightdown to a set of bound feet shoes plusleggings.

Viewing of Opera costumes from Delibes’ Lakmé – 5 July 2011TAASA members were given a rare insightinto the design and production of costumesfor a complete opera. Imogen Corlette,OperaAustralia’s national PR and PublicityManager, had gone to immense trouble toensureourvisitwasentertaining.

Aselectionofbrilliantly colouredandrichlyembroidered costumes was displayed forus on mannequins. The designer, MarkThompson,ledusthroughthedesignprocess,involving a special visit to India seekingbookson Indiandressandcostumes. Thesewerethenillustratedinthe‘Bible’,containingdetaileddrawingsofeachindividualcostume.

Lyn Heal, head of wardrobe, explainedhow they kept to budget. The costumeproductiontimescalewasplannedandworkallocatedtothe24expertstaffintheCostumeDepartment.MirandaBrock,fabricbuyerandcommissioner of embroidery arrived witharmfuls of multi-coloured fabrics and sarisaswellas rollsofexotic,beautifulbraids. Inaddition to fabric bought by the metre, oldsariswereboughtinIndianmarkets,thencuttouseondifferentcostumes.AllembroiderywascarriedoutinIndia,asisusualformostOperaAustraliaproductions.

After the presentation we had ample timeto ask questions and examine the dazzlingarrayofdesigns,fabrics,braidsandcostumesbroughtoutespeciallyforus.Wethenmovedto a local caféwherewe enjoyeddiscussingthisevent.

r E c E n t t a a s a a c t i v i t i E s

taasansWEvEntsInnovation & Influence: Ceramics of Southeast AsiaA TAASA symposium at the Powerhouse, Coles Theatre – Saturday 15 October 10am – 3.30pm (seeflyerinsert)HearexpertsDonHein,LiBaopingandAnnProctordiscussthelatestresearchonSoutheastAsianceramicsandChineseexportwareintheregion,followedbyarareopportunitytoexamineceramicsinthereservecollectionofthePHM.Cost: $60 members; $70 non members. Bookings essential, bookings & payments to Ann Guild at: [email protected] or (02) 9460 4579.

TAASA tour of Spirit of jang-in: treasures of Korean metal craft, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. November (TBA)ExhibitionCuratorMin-JungKimwillprovideaguidedtourespeciallyforTAASAmembers.Exactdatetobeadvised.

TAASA end of year party at the Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Paddington, Sydney – 6-8pm, Thursday 1 December 2011. Put this in your diary!ComecelebrateTAASA’s20thanniversarywithfellowTAASAmembers&friends!Tocelebratethisachievement,weareholdingourpartyatthisspecialvenueat16-20GoodhopeSt.TAASAessayprizewinnerwillbeannouncedatthePartyandthedatecoincideswiththepublicationofthebumper20thanniversaryissueoftheTAASAReview.WeareverygratefultoDrGeneSherman,DirectorofSCAFforsogenerouslyallowingustousethisspace.

taasaQuEEnslandEvEnts

Asian Textiles Seminar: Cinema B, GoMA1 – 4pm, 1 October 2011 Thisseminar,jointlyhostedbyTAASAandACAPA(theAustralianCentreofAsiaPacificArt),willexplorecontemporaryAsiantextilesintheexhibitionThreads:ContemporarytextilesandthesocialfabricondisplayintheQueenslandGalleryofModernArt(GoMA).Speakersare:MaryJose,FabricofLife,LizWilliamson,WoveninAsia,andRuthMcDougall,AssociateCurator,AsiaandPacificArt,whowillconductatouroftheexhibition.There is no charge but bookings are essential and should be sent to [email protected] by Friday 23 September. Please indicate on your reply that you are a TAASA member.

ROgER gRELLMAN wiTh A SET Of ThEATRicAL cOSTUME fOR

A fEMALE ROLE wORN By A MALE. PhOTO: giLL gREEN


W h a t ’ s o n i n a u s t r a l i a a n d o v E r s E a s : S E P T E M B E R - N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

A S E L E c T i V E R O U N d U P O f E x h i B i T i O N S A N d E V E N T S

CompiledbyTinaBurge

australiancapitaltErritory

inauguralscreeningof‘themuralsofajanta’&‘crossroadsoftheWorld’National gallery of Australia, canberra

11 September, 2.00pm

Two documentaries from the Indian series‘Paintings of India’ by Indian photographerandarthistorian,BenoyK.Behl,bringtolifethestunning5thand6thc.muralsinthecavetemplesofAjanta,and11thand12thc.monasterymuralsofLadakh,Lahaul-SpitiandKinnaur.

asiantextiletreasuresseries:lecture4

13 September, 12.45 pm

Melanie Eastburn, Curator, will discuss theform and symbolism of a Japanese Buddhistpriest’smantleofluxuriousbrocadepatchwork.

flyingangelsbyheridono:aneccentriclow-techchorus

8 November, 12.45 pm

MelanieEastburn,Curator,andRoyMarchant,Objects Technician—Conservation, speakabout renowned Indonesian contemporaryartistHeriDono’sFlyingangels2006.

nEWsouthWalEs

afterEffectgallery 4A, Sydney

2 September – 15 October 2011

This new exhibition, curated by OlivierKrischer, includes eight artists from Japan,Europe,America andAustraliawho integratetechnologyintotheirpracticeanddemonstratethis as neither simply nostalgic nor futuristic,butasanelementofeverydayexperience.For further information go to: www.4a.com.au

arts of asia lecture series - contemporaryminiatures:artfromsouthasiaArt gallery of New South wales, Sydney

6 September, 2011

Russell Storer, curatorial manager, Asian andPacific Art, Queensland Art Gallery will endthis year’s lecture series with a lecture oncontemporarypaintinginSouthAsia.For more information go to: www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/calendar/arts-asia-2011

onehundredflowers:recentasianacquisitionsAgNSw Asian gallery, ground floor

1 September 2011 - 2 January 2012

AselectionofAsianacquisitionsover thepastfiveyears,groupedbyregionandrepresenting

thehighpointsofartisticexpressionindiverseAsiancountries.Freeentry.

ExhibitiontalkwithheadcuratorofasianartJackiemenzieswednesdays 19 and 28 October 5.30pm in the exhibition

tokujinyoshioka:WaterfallSherman contemporary Art foundation (ScAf)

7 October – 17 december, 2011

InthismajorsoloexhibitionTokujinexperimentswithasophisticatedplayofmaterialsandshapesusing his art as a means of communicatingsomething fascinating, surprising, joyful andunexpected.

victoria

ikebana:BeautyoflivingflowersNational gallery of Victoria - international, Melbourne

2 & 3 September from 10am-5pm

This year marks the 20th anniversary ofthe Ikenobo Melbourne chapter. There willbe a display in the Great Hall of over 40traditionalandmodernIkebanaarrangements;a demonstration of Ikenobo Ikebana on3September, 1.00-3.00pm;andworkshopson8September,1.30pm-3.30pmand10September,10.30am-12.30pm&1.30pm-3.30pm.For more information go to: www.ngv.vic.gov.au

intErnational

usa

maharaja–thesplendorofindia’sroyalcourtAsian Art Museum, San francisco

21 October 2011 – 8 April 2012

Explores the extraordinary culture of princelyIndia, showcasing richandvariedobjects thatreflectdifferent aspectsof royal life, includingpaintings, photography, textiles and dress,jewellery, jewelled objects, metalwork andfurniture.For further information go to: www.asianart.org/maharaja

theartofdissentin17th-centurychina:masterpiecesofmingloyalistartfromthechihloloucollection7 September, 2011 – 2 January, 2012

The traumatic events associated with theconquestofChinabythesemi-nomadicManchuin 1644 spurred an enormous outpouring ofcreative energy asmanyMing loyalists turnedtothearts.Drawnfromoneofthefinestprivate

art collections of this period, the exhibitionshowcasesmorethan60landscapepaintingsandcalligraphieshighlightingtheintenselypersonalstylescreatedbytheleadingartistsofthattime.

Wonderoftheage:masterpaintersofindia,1100–1900Metropolitan Museum of Art, New york28 September, 2011 – 8 January, 2012

In over 220 works selected according toidentifiable hands and named artists, theexhibitionwilldispelthenotionofanonymityin Indian art. The high points of artisticinnovation in the history of Indian paintingwillbedemonstratedthroughworksby40ofthegreatestIndianpainters.MajorcollectionsinIndia,Europe,andtheUnitedStateshavelentworkstotheexhibition.For further information go to: www.metmuseum.org

Review 20-3-2011 September

Documents

Transcript of Review 20-3-2011 September