The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight

  • 3

    BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo

  • 5

    Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors

  • 7

    INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels

  • 9

    Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry

  • 11

    Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI

  • 13

    Disney+ aims to expand investment in original Korean content

  • 15

    Family of 5 found dead in 3 separate locations

  • 17

    Korea hammers Thailand to clinch men's football knockout berth

  • 19

    Yoon signs off on plan to waive expressway tolls during Chuseok holiday

  • 2

    N. Korea holds politburo meeting to discuss Kim-Putin summit: KCNA

  • 4

    BTS member Suga begins mandatory military service

  • 6

    Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday

  • 8

    Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales

  • 10

    Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech

  • 12

    Xi says he will seriously consider visit to South Korea: official

  • 14

    Arrest warrant hearing for DPK leader Lee to be held Tuesday

  • 16

    Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape

  • 18

    Appellate court upholds 9-yr prison term for man over filming, distributing sexual videos featuring women

  • 20

    Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sun, September 24, 2023 | 09:39
Theater & Others
Hanji collage series infused with shamanism
Posted : 2021-09-09 18:32
Updated : 2021-09-10 18:35
Park Han-sol
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
                                                                                                 'Descending Sunrise ― Mesmerizing Mesh #11' (2021) by Yang Hae-gue / Courtesy of the artist and Kukje Gallery
"Descending Sunrise ― Mesmerizing Mesh #11" (2021) by Yang Hae-gue / Courtesy of the artist and Kukje Gallery

By Park Han-sol

Sacred Paper Cutting is a tradition that forms a significant part of "gut," or Korean shamanistic rituals, performed in regions including Taean County of South Chungcheong Province and parts of Jeju Island.

It involves folding the paper multiple times and cutting out particular patterns to create different shamanistic objects, which are then used to decorate the ritual site in order to drive out evil spirits or commemorate the deceased.

Inspired by this practice, artist Yang Hae-gue recently unveiled her latest hanji (traditional Korean paper made from the bark of paper mulberry trees) collage series, "Mesmerizing Mesh," at Kukje Gallery in Jongno District, Seoul.

                                                                                                 'Descending Sunrise ― Mesmerizing Mesh #11' (2021) by Yang Hae-gue / Courtesy of the artist and Kukje Gallery
A site of sitting gut, or shamanistic ritual, decorated with Sacred Paper Cutting in Taean County, South Chungcheong Province / Courtesy of Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation

A glimpse of her paper artwork was offered last year at her solo exhibition, "Haegue Yang ― O2 & H2O" held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Seoul. One of the showcased pieces was her talisman, "Five Doing Un-Doing," which consisted of five banners representing the elements of water, wood, fire, earth and metal ― each with the bottom edge embellished with objects made from Sacred Paper Cutting.

"Mesmerizing Mesh" is a continuation of this methodology, coupled with the artist's extensive research as well as consultation with shamans and scholars devoted to shamanistic studies across the nation.

The hanji series can be divided into two groups: pieces that feature abstract patterns designed to drive out evil spirits and others with a more figurative motif of "nukjeon" (soul sheet), a visual symbol of the soul of the deceased. In her works, paper becomes more than a means of reproducing reality, but a medium that connects the spiritual and the secular.

                                                                                                 'Descending Sunrise ― Mesmerizing Mesh #11' (2021) by Yang Hae-gue / Courtesy of the artist and Kukje Gallery
"Telepathy-Powered Soul Sheets Abreast ― Mesmerizing Mesh #37" (2021) by Yang Hae-gue / Courtesy of the artist and Kukje Gallery

Yang's pieces reflect the work of the shaman, who transforms a seemingly trivial, everyday material like a sheet of paper into a sacred object, where the spirit is "blown into" it to console the soul and resolve the cause of its "han" (a sense of permanent, deep sorrow.) In other words, she focuses on the entangled relationship between physical matter and the soul that can only be witnessed at particular moments like a shamanistic ritual.

Such a philosophical foundation of infusing the soul and value of life into objects in Korea's Sacred Paper Cutting is shared in the paper folk art traditions of other countries ― Mexico's "Papel picado," the Philippines' "Pabalat," India's "Sanjhi" and the Slavic nations' "Wycinanki," among others.

Yang's 12-piece collage series, "Mesmerizing Mesh," will be on display at Kukje Gallery's K1 hall until Sept. 12. The exhibition will then continue in the gallery's newly-built Rizzoli Studio from Sept. 15, joined by six additional works from the series.
Emailhansolp@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
1Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight
2Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors
3Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday Opposition party in turmoil as leader could be arrested on Tuesday
4Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales Korea boosts subsidies to rev up falling EV sales
5Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry Foreign employees rewarded for contribution to Korea's shipbuilding industry
6Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech Russia lodges protest to S.Korean envoy over Yoon's UN speech
7Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI Lawmakers want to grill business tycoons over decision to rejoin FKI
8Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater Gov't reviews changing description of Fukushima wastewater
9'Songpyeon' for low-income families 'Songpyeon' for low-income families
10Big insurers up for sale, but financial conglomerates appear disinterested Big insurers up for sale, but financial conglomerates appear disinterested
Top 5 Entertainment News
1BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo
2[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels
3Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape Hebrew University students travel to Korea to explore musical landscape
4[INTERVIEW] Seoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea INTERVIEWSeoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea
5[INTERVIEW] 'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema INTERVIEW'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group