From the Land of the Morning Calm: Traditions of Korean Art
July 5 – September 9, 2012
Seon Monk-Painter Haejam, Indra and Heavenly Dragon General, circa 1770s, Opaque mineral pigments, ink, and gold on cloth (hanging scroll, remounted flat on stretched linen. Smart Museum of Art, The University of Chicago, Purchase, Paul and Miriam Kirkley Fund for Acquisitions, 2009.21.
Over thousands of years, traditional Korean society has forged a unique artistic heritage out of a blend of foreign ideals and local tastes.
Korea’s expansive coastline and geographic position in Asia encouraged an outward focus, and Korean history is marked by periods of intense cultural, technological, and religious exchange with China and Japan (and more recently, the West). This is especially evident in the flourishing ceramic culture of the Goryeo period (918–1392) and in the innovations in literati painting during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910).
Organized around the themes of craft, Buddhism, scholarly art, and modernity, From the Land of the Morning Calm offers a focused look at key components of this complex history of cross-cultural exchange and assimilation. It is the first major exhibition to showcase the Smart’s diverse collection of Korean art and includes nearly fifty works of ceramic, metalwork, sculpture, painting, and calligraphy that date from the late bronze age to the present day.
Free Public Programs
Celebrate Korean Art at the Smart
July 14, 2012
Gallery Talk and Tea:
Cultural Crosscurrents in Korean Literati Painting
July 19, 2012
Workshop: The Calligrapher's Kite
July 28, 2012
Family Day: Play with Korean Clay
August 4, 2012
Gallery Talk and Tea:
Korean Journeys to International Art
August 16, 2012
Curator Tour
September 9, 2012
SmartPartners Program
VIP Closing Reception
September 6, 2012
Symposium
Korea Imagined: Korean Visual Culture in Chicago
October 19–20, 2012
Scholars convene to present on a broad spectrum of Korean culture, from recent research produced as part of From the Land of the Morning Calm to Buddhist art, contemporary cinema, and more.