Korean Art Festival
A small peninsula set between China and Japan, Korea has undergone invasion and occupation from both sides, but has also acted as a cultural ambassador between its powerful neighbors. Buddhist doctrine and art, for example, came to Korea from China in the 4th century, and from Korea traveled to Japan via Korean monks.
Korea maintained a unified cultural identity until the mid-20th century. While Chinese models influenced Korean art and culture, Korean artists always modified these models to fit Korean ideals of spontaneity of form, purity of line and simplicity. Korea is famous for its calligraphy, ceramics and metalwork traditions, and holds several festivals devoted to its arts.
Major Korean Art Exhibition
The South Korean government sponsored an annual Grand Art exhibition from 1949 until 1981. The Grand Art Exhibition held annual competitions of Korean artists, and developed from earlier prototypes like the artist-run Hyŏpchŏn "Society Exhibition," from 1921 to 1936, or the Japanese-sponsored Korean Art Exhibition, which held categories for Asian and Western-style painting.
In 2009, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art held the first major exhibition of contemporary Korean art in the West, entitled "Your Bright Future: 12 Contemporary Artists From Korea."
Ceramics Festival of Gimhae
Gimhae, a village known in Korea for its ceramic wares, holds an annual festival celebrating Buncheongsagi, which are grayish-blue celadon stoneware. Stoneware is a smooth-surfaced ceramic made from a specific type of clay, while celadon is a type of glaze. Most celadons are jade green in color, but can come in pale whites, blues and grays as well.
Korean ceramicists made Buncheonsagi in the 15th and 16th centuries between Cheongja (green celadon) and Baekja (white porcelain). Visitors to the festival may buy Buncheongsagi wares like teacups or watch ceramicists demonstrate techniques for making Buncheongsagi. There are also programs where visitors make their own ceramics.
Insadong
Insadong is a neighborhood in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. It is a cultural district--registered as such in 2002--and galleries, art supply stores, antique shops and used book stores line its streets. Insadong was a center for traditional art and crafts even during the Joseon dynasty (1391-1897), when it held the government's royal painting institute.
Insa Korean Art and Culture Festival
Insadong also holds the annual Insa Korean Art and Culture Festival, which began in 1987 and presents a range of events for visitors. The festival's Antique Arts section showcases ceramics, rare paintings and folk woodworks. The festival also contains a modern and contemporary arts section which displays more recent artworks by Korean artists.
Korea's official tourism organization emphasizes that the Insadong festival encourages its visitors to experience old Korean tradition. Visitors may see a traditional Korean wedding and the parade of the police chief called Pododaejang, and may attend various folk concerts and dances.
Korean International Art Fair
Korea's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports sponsors a yearly international exhibition with the intentional of popularizing Korean art abroad. The Korean International Art Exhibition (KIAF) of March 2010 appeared in New York alongside other long-standing art fairs like the Armory Show, SCOPE and Pulse and capitalized on their popularity. Twenty-four Korean galleries traveled to New York and participated in the show. The Galleries' Association of Korea began KIAF in 2002, and 2009's fair appeared in Seoul. The location of the next KIAF has not been announced as of June 2010. (See Reference 6)
