Restraint, simplicity

Korean traditional craftworks to go on exhibit in Milan

By Chung Ah-young

Korean traditional craftworks are no more replicas of antiquities that remain in the past. Recently, Korean craft-artists are interacting with the present trends, producing contemporary creations, while keeping traditional aesthetics.

The results of their endeavors have been displayed at major international art and design events, drawing lots of attention to Korean traditional craftworks.

To gain the momentum to show its uniqueness mixing modernity and traditionalism globally, Korean craftworks will be presented at an exhibition titled “Constancy & Change in Korean Traditional Craft 2014” in La Triennale di Milano, a design museum in Milan, Italy, April 8-13.

Organized by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (KCDF) and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, Korean craft-artists will demonstrate a diverse array of their masterpieces using traditional materials of ceramic, metal, mother-of-pearl, Korean paper and textiles.

Italian top critics such as Gillo Dorfles and Christina Morozzi expressed their positive opinions on the upcoming Korean exhibition. Legendary art critic Dorfles said in Ottagono, a design magazine, that the Korean exhibition shows how Koreans adopt their ancestors’ knowledge into the present milieu, which is the best path for a better future.

During the exhibition period, Milan Design Week, the largest event of its kind, will take place around the city, drawing some 300,000 visitors. The Korean exhibition will be larger in scale than last year’s.

Compared to last year’s exhibition emphasizing the Korean traditional aesthetics, this year’s will focus more on traditional but restraint and simplicity using eco-friendly materials, which is more relevant to the contemporary art trend.

“I want to show Korean traditional artisans creating in the old ways using natural materials,” said art director Sohn Hye-won. Sohn also directed last year’s landmark exhibition titled “Constancy and Change in Korean Traditional Craft 2013” at the Milan International Furniture Fair in Italy.

“The craftworks are the closest art form to humans. The exhibition will show the capacities we can create,” Lee Kang-hyo, a ceramic artist, said.

A total of 174 pieces created by 21 Korean artisans will go on exhibit. Lee will present the “Buncheong Landscape I, II” series, while “Square Ritual Basin and Bowl” by Lee Gee-jo will be on display.

Lee Kang-hyo made ceramic jars in a traditional way but along with his own unique style. He built up the clay coils and decorated them by finger imprints and applied the pale gray powders to create the unique colors and textures. Lee used several different shades of powders and paints in multiple stacked layers to make the surfaces thick and solid.

Lee Gee-jo’s work is a structural object, using porcelain clay slabs. His work is hexagonal, which is different from other round-shaped porcelain bottles during the Joseon period. He is one of the most notable artists who can recreate the Joseon porcelain. “Square Ritual Basin and Bowl” on display at this exhibition epitomizes the refined simplicity of the Joseon porcelain.

“Hansan Ramie Patchwork Wrappers” by textile artists Hwang Gil-nam, Heo Mi-hi, Ju Gyeong-ja, Kim Hyo-jung, Lee Sun-dong, Baek Song-bae, Kim Gi-ja, Bang Seung-im and Kim Jeong-ok, will decorate the ceiling of the exhibit hall. Made of ramie fabrics in a traditional way of weaving in Hansan, South Gyeongsang Province, but with simple designs, the wrapping cloths were woven together to create crisscross patterns inspired by traditional Korean doors and windows. The ramie weaving skill flourishing in Hansan was inscribed on the UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list.

“Wood & Hanji Paper Chests” by Park Myeong-bae and Han Kyung-hwa are the hanji-plastered wood furniture, which is designed to give the impression of softness on the surface. The chests exude the soft touch and milky color of hanji and projects the silhouettes of the items put inside the chest.

“Paper-string Basket and Container” by Kang Seong-hi is manufactured for everyday use. The grinder mat was used to collect grains of cereal for grinding. Traditionally, such a mat was usually made with straws. But Kang used paper strings instead of straws and applied transparent lacquers on some parts to make it strong enough to endure moisture and insect infestation. The round basket was formed into a traditional shape with the paper strings as well.

“Paper-string Bowls” by Kim Eun-hye show how the Joseon period scholars recycled the paper they used to make various items for daily use. Paper-made items are useful as they are light. The bowls are also part of the recycled artworks using the paper coated with lacquer or oil on paper as water repellants.

“Brass Tableware through Time” by Lee Gyoung-dong was created in collaboration with other craftsmen at his studio in Geochang, South Gyeongsang Province. The 15 asymmetrical plates designed to contain food from various countries reflect Lee’s philosophy for “modernizing tradition.”

“Pebbles” by Hwang Sam-yong are one of the unique mother-of-pearl craftworks in the exhibition. They were made by cutting mother-of-pearl and piecing the strips together to look like natural stones through complicated and experienced techniques developed by the artist.

“Box with Character Patterns” by Lee Sung-woon was created in 1987. The box is decorated with some Chinese characters which were formed with the slender strips of mother-of-pearl.

“Donghae (East Sea)” by the late artist Chung Chang-ho is a lacquered container with a cover inscribed as “Donghae.” It is a fruit tray adorned with the patterns created by thread-thin strips of mother-of-pearls. The thin pieces of mother-of-pearl were evenly embedded though the size of the center and edges are different.