The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, will run a touring craft exhibition project called the "Traveling Craft Masterpiece Exhibition" from July through February next year, the ministry said Thursday.
The "Traveling Craft Masterpiece Exhibition," a program launched for the first time this year, has prepared four curated exhibitions reflecting the culture and craft characteristics of four regions: Gangwon, Yeongnam, Chungcheong, and Honam-Jeju. In these exhibitions, curated by four specialist craft exhibition planners, 104 craft artists from across the country will participate and present more than 600 works.
Each exhibition also features craft artists working in the respective region, capturing the distinctive character of local crafts. The exhibition begins with an official opening ceremony at the Cheonan Museum of Art on July 3, and will tour 13 venues nationwide, including national and public museums, art galleries, and regional cultural spaces, to meet visitors.
First, the Gangwon region exhibition "Homo Faber·Homo Sentiens: To Make, To Sense" features 28 artists, including Gangwon-do intangible heritage holders Yang Yu-jin and Kim Byung-wook, offering a sensory experience created by the material properties of craft materials and outstanding techniques. The exhibition continues at the Wonju Hakseong Gallery, Chuncheon National Museum, and Gangneung Arts Center.
The Yeongnam region exhibition "Yeongnam Yullyeo" features 32 artists, including glass artist Park Sung-hoon, who won the gold prize at the 2023 Cheongju International Craft Competition. The exhibition interprets the crafted aesthetic form embodying Yeongnam's nature and climate through "yullyeo," the melodic system of Korean traditional music. The exhibition meets visitors starting at Busan Domoheon, followed by the Jinju Railroad Culture Park Vehicle Maintenance Depot and Changwon Seongsan Art Hall.
The Chungcheong region exhibition "The Masterpieces of Korean Craft: Roots and Fruits" features 16 artists, including "Craft of the Year" award winners Lee Hun-chung, Ko Bo-hyung, Ha Ji-hoon, and Kim Jun-yong, connecting contemporary craft with traditional craft to show new values of Korean craft. The exhibition begins at the Cheonan Museum of Art, continuing to the Asan Onyang Folk Museum and the Cheongju Korea Craft Museum.
In addition, the Honam-Jeju region exhibition "Common Wealth" features 28 artists, including national intangible heritage holder Kim Seung-woo, illuminating the cultural value and communal meaning that craft holds. The exhibition will be held sequentially at the Iksan National Museum, Yeosu Expo Convention Center, Gwangju Design Promotion Agency, and the Jeju art space iaa.
Detailed schedules, locations, and viewing information for each exhibition can be checked sequentially on the foundation's website and Instagram, as well as on the information channels of each venue's operating institution.
The ministry explained, "To bridge regional cultural gaps, we are running the 'This Is Coming to My Neighborhood!' project, which supports hosting famous performances and exhibitions in the regions." It added, "As part of this project, the 'Traveling Craft Masterpiece Exhibition,' newly planned this year, supports holding craft exhibitions—which have been concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area—in various regions so that the public can enjoy them close to their daily lives."
