Re:visioning HANJI Exhibition
to launch as a part of Asia Week 2016
at the Korean Cultural Center New York
Hanji, Korean traditional paper created by “ninety-nine touches by the maker and one touch by the user” is presented in showcase exhibition from February 24th to March 31st, 2016.
Opening Reception: Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at 6 – 8 PM
Re:visioning HANJI
February 24th to March 31st, 2016.
Opening Reception: Wednesday, March 9, 2016 at 6 – 8 PM
You are cordially invited to join us for a VIP preview and Opening Reception of the Re:visioning HANJI exhibition at Gallery Korea of the Korean Cultural Center New York to celebrate 1000 years of the rich history of hanji, Korean traditional handmade paper.
Hanji literally means ‘the paper of Hanguk (the Korean term to refer to the country),’ and is the exquisite traditional Korean paper made with the fibrous skin of mulberry trees. The process of making hanji is lengthy and complicated, and it is said the completion of a single sheet of hanjirequires “ninety-nine touches by the maker and one touch by the user.” The deliberate complexity and multilayered steps required for the creation of hanji is not only a direct reflection of its rich history but also contributes to its longstanding allure. In its respect for nature in the production process, its unmatched resilience and textural range, and the ways that hanji has so closely been intertwined with the livelihood of Koreans (not only for as paper for drawing and writing but in the creation of everyday, household products), hanji has been an indispensable part of Korean history.
The exhibition explores the past, present, and future of hanji – from its long history since the 4thand 5th centuries in the Korean peninsula to the visually and texturally intricate artworks and industrial application in our contemporary times, Re:visioning HANJI is a celebration of the deep tradition and continuing potential of hanji in the global market.
Ran Hwang
n Hwang, is an internationally renowned poetic installation artist who uses thousands of handmade hanji buttons to create large-scale installation works. Hwang’s 9 feet tall installation depicting the Triumphal Arch and Eiffel Tower will be shown at the exhibition. The installation, the Beginning of the Bright, is made of Hangul (Korean alphabet hanji buttons to celebrate Hangul’s designation as a UNESCO Record Cultural Heritage. Ran Hwang has exhibited at several international institutions including the Queens Museum of Art, New York; The Hudson Valley Center for the Arts, New York; the Chelsea Art Museum, New York; The Seoul Arts Center Museum; and The Jeju Museum of Art, Jeju Island.
Aimee Lee
Aimee Lee is papermaking artist and the leading hanji researcher and practitioner. She holds a BA from Oberlin College and an MFA in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago. She researched Korean papermaking and its related crafts on a Fulbright Fellowship and returned to the United States to build the first hanji studio in North America at the Morgan Conservatory in Cleveland, Ohio. Her artwork is exhibited internationally and resides in collections that include the Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection, Museum of Modern Art Library, and Yale University Library Special Collections. She travels widely to teach and lecture at colleges, museums, and arts organizations. She has written about her research for numerous publications and maintains extensive digital resources about hanji on her website (aimeelee.net).
Further detailed information and materials on the history, materials, and applications of hanji can be viewed and downloaded at our website at www.koreanculture.org.
Partnered Event: HANJI Workshop
A weekend hanji workshop will be held on Saturday, March 12th, and Sunday, March 13th at the Korean Cultural Center New York led by artist Aimee Lee, one of the leading hanji experts in the United States. The workshops provide an in-depth and hands-on opportunity to learn about the nuanced process of making hanji, and also is a great chance to make your own hanji craftworks.
The program is free, but reservations are required and space is limited. Please note that programs on March 12th and 13th differ, and level of difficulty should be noted. For more information on the workshop, please email gallerykorea@gmail.com.
Gallery Korea at
Korean Cultural Center NY
460 Park Ave.,6Floor
New York, NY 10022
http://www.koreanculture.org
