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Free Study Day: Decorative Arts & Folk Customs of Korea

soaslogobmlogoLater this month, SOAS will join with the British Museum to host an event on the Decorative Arts and Folk Customs of Korea. A day-long workshop will focus on Korean folk art and culture of the late Choson dynasty (AD1392-1910), highlighting aspects of Korea’s past, which are often overlooked. In focusing on decorative arts, the workshop offers an insight into how commoners of the late Choson period lived and the art they made – areas that are often overshadowed by the prevailing focus on elite arts and culture of this time.

The workshop will include talks by prominent scholars from Korea, the UK and the US. Professor Michael Pettid (SUNY Binghamton, USA) will discuss how commoners of the late Choson period lived, from the songs they sang to the food they ate. Professor Chong Pyong-mo (Kyongju National University, South Korea) will give a talk on Korean folk paintings (minhwa), in particular screens placed in a scholar’s study (chaekkori). Dr Kim Soon-Young (Visiting Research Fellow at the V&A/RCA) will talk about Korean patchwork and wrapping cloths (pojagi and chogakpo) – a unique Korean art form.

The workshop will take place on 24 February from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 116 at SOAS and conclude with a private visit to the British Museum, which holds several Korean decorative works of art in its collection. Professor Chong will discuss these works. A reception will follow at SOAS. The event is free, but registration is requested. Please contact Rahima Begum (SOAS, Centres and Programmes Office) at [email protected] for further information or to register.

Please find below the programme for this workshop.

Programme

9:30-10:00: Registration – Tea & Coffee
10:00-10:15: Introduction by Dr Charlotte Horlyck, SOAS
10:15-11:15: Talk by Dr Michael Pettid, SUNY Binghamton, on Korean folk culture
11:15-12:30: Talk by Dr Chong Pyong-mo, Kyongju National University, on Korean decorative screens, in particular the type called chaekkori
12:30-13:15: Lunch
13:15-14:15: Talk by Dr Kim Soon-Young, Visiting Research Fellow at the V&A/RCA, on Korean patchwork and wrapping cloths (pojagi and chogakpo)
14:15-14:45: Break and walk over to the British Museum
15:00-17:00: Private viewing of Korean decorative art objects in the British Museum, lead by Dr Chong Pyong-mo (British Museum)
17:15-18:15: Reception (Senior Common Room, SOAS)

Update: Read an account of the day here.

(automatically generated) Read LKL’s review of this event here.

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