'Pensive Bodhisattva' to represent National Museum of Korea
Two "Pensive Bodhisattva" statues, National Treasure no. 83, right, and National Treasure no. 78, are displayed together during a 2015 Buddhist sculpture exhibition at the National Museum of Korea. The museum will open a new permanent gallery to display the two major artifacts side by side in November. Courtesy of National Museum of Korea
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The two "Pensive Bodhisattva" statues from the Three Kingdoms era in the collection of the National Museum of Korea (NMK) will be displayed side by side at a new gallery space as the “face” of the museum from November.
"People visit the Louvre to look at the Mona Lisa and I believe that people will come to the NMK to see the two Pensive Bodhisattva," Min Byoung-chan, director general of NMK, said during a press conference announcing the museum's annual plan, Wednesday.
Min, an old hand at the museum, said the statues are currently located in the museum's Buddhist Sculpture Gallery on the third floor and are often missed by visitors who do not scour the museum thoroughly.
"I've been in charge of the museum's overseas exhibitions for about 10 years, and the size and quality of the exhibit was decided by whether the Pensive Bodhisattva could be on show or not. The statues also top the most memorable artifacts in our visitor survey every year," Min said.
Min said he researched all the Pensive Bodhisattva statues around the world and among some 40 gilt-bronze type, the ones in Korea are large in size at about 1 meter in height and have serene smiles and elegant beauty.
“Though the Pensive Bodhisattva style originated in India and was transmitted to the East via the Silk Road, the Korean ones are known for their high quality,” he said. "As I made exchanges with curators at foreign museums, many of them pick the statues of Pensive Bodhisattva as the best from the collection at the NMK. The statues are worth representing the museum for their artistic, historic and religious values."
Min Byoung-chan, director general of the National Museum of Korea, speaks during a press conference, Wednesday. Courtesy of National Museum of Korea
Currently, there are two Pensive Bodhisattva statues in the museum's collection. National Treasure no. 78, from late 6th century, is wearing a tall crown, uniquely decorated with the sun and moon, while National Treasure no. 83, from the early 7th century, is adorned with a simpler crown.
“Perfectly cast with an elaborate technique, the figure has a simple but balanced body, natural three-dimensional creases in the clothing, and clearly rendered facial features, highlighted by a serene smile. Together, these elements give this religious sculpture a look of sublime beauty,” the museum describes National Treasure no. 83.
Despite their awareness and popularity, the two statues were displayed together only twice since the museum's opening at its current Yongsan venue back in 2005. The state-run museum typically exhibited one Bodhisattva at a time in the past, with the other exhibited abroad or kept in storage.
The new Pensive Bodhisattva gallery will be installed on the second floor near the elevator hall, where the donated works gallery is now located.
This is one of Min's pledges to make the museum more visitor-friendly in the post-COVID-19 world. The museum will also expand its children's museum and renovate the donations gallery.
The museum will also break ground for a scientific research center for cultural artifacts. Located north of the current museum building and scheduled to be completed by 2024, the center aims to conduct scientific analysis and research on, and conserve and restore the museum's treasures to collect big data, which will be used to appraise the authenticity of cultural properties.
Major exhibitions at the NMK this year include "Homo Sapiens" from May to September, shedding light on the evolution of archeoanthropine; "Monk Craftsman from Joseon" (tentative title) from December to March 2022, featuring sculptures and paintings created by Buddhist monks; and "The Beauty of Lacquerware" from December to March 2022.
The museum also embraces diverse cultures through exhibitions such as "Icons and Identities," showcasing major works from the National Portrait Gallery in London from April to August; and ancient Bronze Age artifacts from the Shanghai Museum from September to November.