Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
When tradition meets tomorrow
Art group AES+F’s “The Feast of Trimalchio: Arrival of Golden Boat,” which portrays a Roman Empire-era feast at a contemporary resort hotel, is currently on display at the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Hannam-dong, central Seoul. / Courtesy of Leeum
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Art museum's dual exhibition pairs traditional craft with 21st century media
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art in Hannam-dong, central Seoul, is an unlikely source of mischievousness. Its latest oddball attempt is pairing Korea’s treasured, traditional craftwork with a separate display on cutting-edge contemporary art and movies, and the end result is an inspiring and enjoyable experience.
The museum’s upper-floor Black Box gallery is the venue for the ``Opulence: Treasures of Korean Traditional Craft,’’ featuring 65 items, including metal jars, glass-bead necklaces, gold Buddhist statues and crowns, which gleam majestically under dim lighting. The collection includes nine artifacts that are designated as national treasures.
A 12th-century gilt silver basin and bottle from Goryeo Kingdom.
While the craftwork during Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) is often characterized as simple and practical, the museum is focusing on the artifacts from earlier periods that were highly-decorated. The highlight of the exhibition is the ``Gilt Silver Ewer and Basin," considered as the only remaining silver bottle of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), currently on loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
"This bottle was for practical use, but is notable for his sophisticated decorations like the lotus and phoenix patterns," curator Jo Ji-yoon said.
"Back then, gold, the most precious metal, was used to create Buddha’s sculptures. Most commonly, bronze statues were covered with gold gilt, so the entirely-gold Buddha statue we have on display, which is National Treasure No. 80, is very special.’’
Zin Ki-jong’s “Mise-en-scene”
The gallery has also created a mini version of the Seokguram Grotto, a hermitage that is part of the Bulguksa temple complex, titled ``The Shining Light of Buddhism,’’ which convincingly recreates the look and feel of the structure and its six sculptures.
The 14-centimeter pure-gold statue exudes elegance, while the gold crowns of the Unified Shilla Kingdom (668-935) and Gaya Kingdom (42-562) represent a progression in style.
Movie meets contemporary art
The museum’s Ground Gallery provides a treat for movie buffs and art admirers alike.
The exhibition, ``Mise-en-scene,’’ which is a term describing the visual elements in theatrical and cinematic works, highlights the creations of artists inspired by movies.
Canadian artist Adad Hannah’s "//////Half a Second//////" draws its inspiration from the 1960 Korean movie ``The Housemaid.’’
Hannah recreates a sequence from the film and presents it on 12 different screens, allowing visitors to literally walk through the movie. The title comes from the fact that a second of a movie is composed of 24 frames.
Korean artist Jung Yeon-doo’s recreates several of the most iconic movie scenes from a painstaking montage from cut-out paper. Artist group AES+F portrayal of a Roman Empire-era feast at a contemporary resort hotel is intended as a snarky comment on neo-liberalist ideals.
Eve Sussman and the Rufus Corporation’s 10-minute video "89 Seconds at Alcazar" is memorable. Sussman unravels her imagination beyond Diego Velazquez's 1656 painting "Las Meninas” (The Maids of Honor), which depict Spanish Princess Infanta Margaret Theresa and her maids like a snapshot. Sussman does a convincing job in recreating the characters in the painting with actress dressed in 17th-century attire moving around in a studio decorated to resemble a Spanish palace.
Zin Ki-jong made a small model set and cameras on a rail. Viewers can see the actual set and the real-time footage from the camera at the same time, interpreting the story as they want.
Both exhibits run through June 2. Admission is 7,000 won for "Opulence" and "Mise-en-scene" and 10,000 won for combined tickets for the two exhibits and the permanent collection. For more information, visit www.leeum.org or call (02) 2014-6900.