Gwangju Shinsegae Gallery Hosts 'Doja Doll' Exhibition by Artist Oh Juhyun

'16th~Next Month 25th "Doja Doll Exhibition: Shaping 500 Years of Joseon Colors"'

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangju Shinsegae Gallery announced on the 14th that it will hold an exhibition of artist Oh Juhyun's lifestyle of 500 years of Joseon titled "Ceramic Doll Exhibition: Shaping the Colors of 500 Years of Joseon" from the 16th of this month to the 25th of next month.

Artist Oh is dedicated to creation with the aim of promoting the beautiful and unique traditional Korean aesthetics by focusing on the lifestyle of the Joseon Dynasty through the special genre of ceramic dolls.

This exhibition is a traveling exhibition following the Daegu Shinsegae Gallery and consists of works depicting the palace scenes of the Joseon era such as "Grand Ceremony" and "Court Aak," as well as works that explore the daily lives of people outside the palace.

It provides an opportunity to examine the lifestyle culture of the time through delicate ceramic dolls.

Oh's ceramic dolls are entirely handcrafted through all processes including modeling, plastering, and coloring.

The fact that the works do not collapse or crack even at high temperatures above 1250℃ is due to a unique process perfected by the artist through numerous trials and errors.

He also applies unparalleled know-how in mixing techniques of clay (soil), pigments, and materials. Great care is taken to vividly and deeply express various colors used in the works, including the traditional Korean five cardinal colors (Obangsaek) that represent the Korean people.

Unlike typical ceramic dolls, the artist completes each work by directly modeling without using molds, making every piece a one-of-a-kind creation in the world.

The exhibition is broadly divided into two themes: "The Palace" and "Their Lives."

In the "Palace" section, visitors can see scenes of events held inside the palace such as grand ceremonies and court Aak. About 30 ceramic dolls depicting the majestic figures of the king and queen, the queen’s royal robe (Hwangwonsam), royal women, civil and military officials, court ladies, and eunuchs compose a stroll scene in the Joseon palace.

The depiction of the grand ceremony procession led by the king and queen is so detailed that it creates the illusion of actually viewing the inside of the palace.

The work "Court Aak," unveiled for the first time in this traveling exhibition, allows viewers to observe about 20 musical instruments and performers. The instruments and performers are intricately portrayed, conveying a sensation as if the music can be heard.

The "Their Lives" section exhibits dolls that offer a glimpse into the lives of people outside the palace. Composed of various figures such as scholars, mothers, and children, this section contains stories of the lives of people from the past that evoke nostalgia, prompting visitors to recall memories in their hearts.

In particular, the series of ceramic dolls expressing women of the Joseon era portrays the image of mothers who had to overcome a hard life in the past.

The 200 ceramic jeogori (traditional Korean jackets) installed on the gallery wall are special works that allow visitors to appreciate the colors and beauty of hanbok at a glance.

The wall filled with hanbok jeogori newly designed by the artist based on Obangsaek and traditional patterns captures the attention of visitors. If you want to capture the diverse colors and charm of Korean hanbok, it is recommended to take photos here together.

A representative of Shinsegae Gallery said, "Ceramic dolls may still be unfamiliar in Korea, but they have enough potential to grow as content with various charms that can promote Korea," and added, "Through this exhibition, we hope you feel the unique beauty of ceramic dolls that contain our history, figures, and memories."