After losing his parents and left hand to the Korean War, Park Dae Sung so loved art that by the age of ten he would rigorously and repeatedly copy ink-and-wash images and calligraphy from classic texts. This courageous young boy grew into an artist of visionary integrity, who, with deep gratitude to his artistic birthright, gracefully transcends imitation of his predecessors. Park Dae Sung achieves the traditional goal of the… Read More

Robert D. Mowry, Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art Emeritus, Harvard Art Museums, and Senior Consultant on Chinese and Korean Art, Christie’s, New York, discusses the history and development of Korean ink paintings. This illustrated slide lecture presents an introductory overview of the development of Korean painting during the Koryŏ (918-1392) and Chosŏn (1392-1910) dynasties, covering all four major categories of work: Buddhist painting, literati painting (sometimes also called… Read More

Joan Kee, Associate Professor of History of Art at the University of Michigan and a leading authority on contemporary Asian art, presents an overview of important artists and developments in postwar Korean art, including the rise of performance art and the significance of ink painting. Kee points out that no clear-cut division exists between "modern" and "contemporary" in Korean art, and that this absence is not so much an omission… Read More

Celebrate Korea’s handicrafts and artistic traditions with adoptive parents Debbi Kent and Joan Suwalsky in a talk about their new book, 100 Thimbles in a Box: The Spirit and Beauty of Korean Handicrafts . The authors will share their experiences in researching and writing this beautiful book of nearly 500 photographs illustrating 44 traditional arts, including ceramics, fiber arts, paper, inlay, metal, wood, and painting, which they wrote to help… Read More

Daniel Sneider, Associate Director of Stanford’s Asia-Pacific Research Center, talks about his family’s long engagement with Korea. Lea Sneider has a passion for folk art: the ceramics, woodwork, paintings, and sculpture used and enjoyed in everyday life. While accompanying her husband, Richard L. Sneider, to his appointment as U.S. Ambassador to Korea in 1974, Mrs. Sneider became an avid explorer of the art galleries and museums of Seoul, Daegu, and… Read More

Lea Sneider has a passion for folk art: the ceramics, woodwork, paintings, and sculpture used and enjoyed in everyday life. While accompanying her husband, Richard L. Sneider, to his appointment as U.S. Ambassador to Korea in 1974, Mrs. Sneider became an avid explorer of the art galleries and museums of Seoul, Daegu, and Busan. She sought out scholars of the rich tradition of Korean folk art, a field largely unexplored… Read More

Po Kim’s artistic career was characterized by an ever-evolving style, and an eagerness to seek out new areas of inspiration. His paintings, often large in scale, were bold and compelling, bursting with life, energy, and emotion. This work distinguished Kim as one of the premier Korean-American artists of his time. When the artist died earlier this year, he left behind a strong legacy in his paintings, the innumerable artists he… Read More

Learn about the fascinating history of printmaking in Asia and the West from Bruce Waldman, professor of printmaking at the School of Visual Arts. Professor Waldman will explain how printmaking evolved from simple beginnings into today’s complex kaleidoscope of techniques and genres through reference to many of the Korean and American prints showing in Made in New York/Made in Seoul, the exhibition currently at The Korea Society Gallery. He will… Read More

Artist Sungsook Setton introduces Sumukhwa, Korean ink brush painting, in this four-session course. Learn brush stroke techniques, composition, and essential skills by painting the four gracious or noble plants: plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo. During the Chosǒn Dynasty, ink brush paintings of the four “noble plants” were popular with the Korean literati. They symbolized traditional Confucian values, while also suggesting the seasons and passage of time. Bamboo, always green,… Read More

This exhibition of works by sixty contemporary artists from New York and Seoul reveals the broad range of techniques, styles, and sensibilities active in printmaking today. Representing the state-of-the-art of the genre, these artists manipulate the deep tones and textures accessible to the printmaker to produce artwork with the eye-catching graphic quality that is the hallmark of print. Printmaking, through its unique ability to produce affordable copies, has been long… Read More