Yeongam-gun to Host Korean Traditional Ceramics Masterpiece Exhibition

Yeongam-gun will hold the Korea Ceramic Masterpiece Exhibition from the 30th of this month until January 31st of next year. (Photo by Yeongam-gun)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] Yeongam-gun, Jeollanam-do announced on the 23rd that it will hold the Korean Ceramic Masterpieces Exhibition, where the excellence and beauty of Korean ceramics can be seen at a glance, from the 30th of this month until January 31 of next year.

This masterpiece exhibition held at the Yeongam Ceramic Museum is an exhibition where visitors can explore the outstanding and beautiful aspects of traditional Korean ceramics. It will showcase precious masterpieces of ceramics such as earthenware, celadon, buncheong ware, and white porcelain, spanning from the Bronze Age to the Joseon Dynasty, all gathered in one place.

The exhibited artifacts include earthenware from the Bronze Age and the Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, and Gaya periods, as well as ceramics from the Later Three Kingdoms, Goryeo, and Joseon periods. Among them are celadon pieces with beautiful bluish-green glaze, such as a melon-shaped bottle, and figurative celadon works shaped like ducks, giraffes, and arhats.

In particular, the inkstone artifact decorated with a rose flower, described as a flower related to the king in the Goryeo Dogyeong written by Seo Geung of the Song Dynasty, stands out for its sculptural form.

Buncheong ware, produced from the late Goryeo to early Joseon periods, will be exhibited in various techniques including inlay buncheong, stamped, painted, iron-painted, comb-marked, and dipped styles. A notable piece is an iron-painted artifact vividly depicting a general and two fish confronting each other over prey with abstract arabesque patterns.

White porcelain exhibits include early Joseon blue-and-white porcelain, inlaid white porcelain, and white porcelain with blue designs presumed to use locally developed tocheong glaze. Also on display is a white porcelain blue-and-white square bottle with floral and cloisonn? patterns, believed to have been produced at the Joseon royal kiln. This artifact, decorated with wildflowers blooming in Korean fields and cloisonn? motifs, is noted for its restrained beauty and elegance.

Korean ceramic culture embodies the values of daily life and aesthetic consciousness developed over a long period and can be regarded as a cultural heritage that highlights both technical skill and artistic sensibility as the essence of traditional culture.

Moreover, beyond the external form of traditional ceramics, the spirit and symbolic value inherent in ceramics are recognized as representations of Korean culture.

Therefore, this exhibition is expected to be a valuable opportunity to re-recognize the importance and value of traditional ceramic culture and to confirm the identity of Korean culture.

Korean ceramic culture, which played a pioneering role in K-Art in the era of globalization, continues to evoke admiration and awe in modern society.

Although cultural facility visits have been difficult due to COVID-19, this exhibition, where visitors can appreciate the dignity of traditional ceramics, is expected to provide comfort to those feeling constrained.

A representative of the Yeongam Ceramic Museum said, “We hope many people will visit this exhibition where precious artifacts can be seen in one place and share the emotions felt while observing ceramic artifacts.”

Meanwhile, in response to the ontact (online contact) era, the Ceramic Museum plans to hold a VR exhibition simultaneously with the on-site viewing through the museum’s website, allowing even more people to enjoy the exhibition.