FALL 2013
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From the director Jay xu
Fall 2013 • Vol. III, Issue III The Asian Art Museum Magazine
Trees around San Francisco are taking on brilliant hues, majestically
Magazine Staff Jay Xu, Ph.D., Director, Asian Art Museum Stacy Rackusin, Membership Manager David Owens-Hill, Manager of Creative Services Kazuhiro Tsuruta, Museum Photographer Editorial support provided by Diablo Custom Publishing (www.dcpubs.com). Contributors Amelia Bunch Janos Gereben Glen Helfand Deborah Kirk Diana Rico Susan Wels
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welcoming our fall exhibition In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty. Breathtaking artworks include Korean treasures on view for the first time in the United States.
This exhibition rivals our first in this building when we opened
our Civic Center doors 10 years ago with the exhibition Goryeo Dynasty: Korea’s Age of Enlightenment, 918 to 1392. Celebrating the opening of our new home and our 10th anniversary here with Korean Former director Emily Sano with Jay Xu
exhibitions underscores the museum’s role in advancing Korean art. In 1989, the museum became the first in the United States to appoint
a curator devoted solely to Korean art.
The Asian Art Museum remains the largest museum in the United States devoted exclusively to
Asian art and culture. We’ve welcomed nearly 3 million visitors and students through our doors.
If you’ve ever wondered about the relevance and impact of supporting this museum, consider this
astonishing graphic that debuted this Published by the Asian Art Museum Chong Moon-Lee Center for Asian Art & Culture 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 415.581.3500 • asianart.org • magazine@asianart.org Copyright © 2013 Asian Art Museum
spring
on
Reddit,
a social news website. The Washington Post confirms that more than 3.6 billion people, of a total 7 billion in the world,
Museum Hours: Tues–Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM–5 PM Mon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Closed
live inside that circle.
Visit asianart.org for seasonal closings and special hours.
and cultural experiences. We are able to
Cover: King Jeongjo’s Procession to His Father’s Tomb in Hwaseong (detail), 1795. Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392– 1910). Handscroll; ink, colors, and gold on paper. Courtesy National Museum of Korea.
do this through the support of our members and visitors, our staff and volunteers, our
This museum bridges cultures and
builds understanding through Asian art
board, our generous donors and partners and our broader community. Thank you for 10 amazing years and counting. n
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Valeriepieris circle, courtesy of Reddit.
ART BITES
Interesting goings-on from inside the Asian art museum, the bay area and around the world
Have you heard of Hahoe? It’s a Korean village where traditional Joseon-dynasty architecture is still intact (it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site), and every year it plays host to the Andong International Maskdance Festival. Performers come from around the world to take part in the 10-day celebration, putting on mask-dance dramas such as the byeolsingut talnori, an old-school play in which villagers mock the local gentry (the play is designated an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea). The whole thing culminates in a massive procession with actors and audience alike donning masks and parading through the streets. n Yoong Bae on view in the korean galleries Not to name-drop, but back in the day, Korean artist Yoong Bae was a volunteer right here at our very own museum. We have his artwork Meditation in our collection—take a look. This gorgeous parade of color moving through blue-gray streets makes us think of the procession images in In Grand Style. Maybe the similarity between them is no coincidence, though—Bae said this:
2 | Asian Art Museum
“I feel that the artist has an obligation to preserve and even reinterpret the traditional
arts. I don’t prefer to change them, I learn from them and then use them as I adopt them
to my needs.” (From Kumja Paik Kim and Margaret Juhae Lee’s Yoong Bae: Late Works.)
Come see this spellbinding piece for yourself—it’s on view now in our Korean galleries. n Top image courtesy of Andong International Maskdance Festival. Left image: Meditation (detail), 1991, by Yoong Bae (Korean, 1928–1992). Silk screen; ink and colors on paper. Gift of Kyung-Hee Bae in memory of Yoong Bae, 1994.69. Shin Yun-bok image (top right) courtesy of Asia Society. Hallyu penguins image courtesy of Reuters.
ART BITES
Rice cake pinup girl Eighteenth-century artist Shin Yun-bok made Portrait of a Beauty, a painting on silk that depicts the Joseon-dynasty feminine ideal. Flash forward to the 21st century: In celebration of Chuseok, Korea’s harvest festival, Seoul’s Lotte Department Store presented the same image (left)—this time made entirely of delicious songpyeon. (In case you haven’t had them, songpyeon are the crescent-shaped rice treats popular during Chuseok.) The delicious version was on display in the department store until Sept. 22. The equally-delicious silk one will be on display in a museum at Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza in March 2014 (see http://bit.ly/PortraitofaBeauty for more on that). n
Hallyu to You These two decided to make a splash by ringing in the Year of the Snake hanbok-style (hanbok being traditional Korean garb, as you can see). We’re looking forward to seeing what they have in store for Lunar New Year 2014—the horse dance, maybe? n
Say Kimchi You might be surprised to discover that kimchi has not, in fact, been designated an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea. But that doesn’t stop revelers from doing it up right at the annual Kimchi Culture Festival. This fourday celebration of Korea’s national delicacy involves lots of colorful events, including an official cabbage-splitting ceremony in which important personages tear open cabbage heads to mark the opening of festivities. Royal court food specialist Bokryeo Han coordinated this grand affair. Tim Hallman, our director of communications and business development, was there to experience the (above). It will have to do for now, we suppose. n We post interesting tidbits on our blog—follow along at blog.asianart.org. Interested in submitting an Art Bite? Email magazine@asianart.org.
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thrills firsthand. Although he failed to bring us any kimchi, he did take this photo
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Celebrating the cylinder Conversations and collaborations offered insights into the museum’s
4 | Asian Art Museum
groundbreaking exhibition, The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia Although the Cyrus Cylinder, one of the most famous objects
political, social and cultural importance of the Cyrus Cylinder.
from the ancient world, is more than 2,500 years old, its recent
The conversation, moderated by Jay Xu, director of the Asian Art
exhibition at the Asian Art Museum proved that even today, it is
Museum, included Reza Zarghamee, author of Discovering Cyrus:
capable of sparking lively debate.
The Persian Conqueror Astride the Ancient World; Trita Parsi,
The Cylinder, exhibited at the museum Aug. 9 through
president of the National Iranian American Council; and Mitra Ara,
Sept. 22 as part of its inaugural tour of the U.S., was created on
a professor and founding director of the Persian studies program
the orders of Cyrus the Great, founder of Persia’s Achaemenid
at San Francisco State University. John Curtis, the British Mu-
dynasty (550–330 BCE), to mark the establishment of Persian
seum’s keeper of the Department of the Middle East, gave the
rule over Babylon in 539 BCE. Inscribed in cuneiform, today the
keynote address.
object is widely considered a symbol of multiculturalism, toler-
ance, diversity and human rights.
ing symbolism and its contemporary relevance in Iran and beyond.
To celebrate the opening of The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient
The panel explored the Cylinder’s historical context, its evolv-
More than 250 people attended the discussion in Samsung Hall,
Persia: A New Beginning, the museum partnered with the Asia
which was followed by extended gallery hours and a reception.
Society of Northern California to host a panel discussion on the
That wasn’t the only stimulating discussion about the cylin-
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
der: On Sept. 12, artist Ala Ebtekar explored other ideas about
corded the students as they read aloud. He then worked with his
the artifact in an evening of music, visual art and literary readings.
uncle Ata Ebtekar—an electronic music composer known by the
As part of the museum’s Artist Drawing Club program, in which
name Sote—to sample the students’ voices in a new composition,
local artists are invited to use the museum as a project platform,
which served as the core of a sound-and-video installation.
Ebtekar created Cylindr.us, a multimedia sound and video instal-
lation that examines why, thousands of years later, the cylinder
phonograph cylinders and played it in Samsung Hall, which
remains so culturally significant, as well as how Cyrus himself
Ebtekar had transformed into the “Gate of All Nations,” a historic
influenced ideas about modern civilization.
landmark in Persepolis (now the modern Iranian city of Shiraz).
Ala Ebtekar and Sote recorded the composition onto wax
Cylindr.us was inspired by a collaboration between the artist
The event included contributions by other writers as well as visual
and Bay Area students who toured the Cyrus Cylinder exhibition
and sound artists. The event’s attendees were invited to contrib-
with a docent. Ebtekar asked them, “If you were the master of the
ute to Ebtekar’s website, www.cylindr.us, with their own respons-
universe, thinking about your legacy, what message would you
es to the question he had asked the students. From the Cyrus
inscribe on such a cylinder?”
Cylinder to wax cylinders, inscriptions to voices, the event drew
parallels between ancient culture and the contemporary world. n
The students wrote down their responses, and Ebtekar re-
The presentation of The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: A New Beginning at the Asian Art Museum was generously supported by Tina and Hamid Moghadam, Bita Daryabari and Dr. Reza Malek in collaboration with the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans.
inspiring global citizenry The Asian Art Museum’s exhibition of the Cyrus Cylinder did
more than just astound visitors. It also offered local teachers an
sor of history at UC Irvine, discussed the reign of Cyrus the Great
opportunity to reinforce a multicultural approach to teaching his-
and the rise of the Persian empire. Curriculum expert Homa Sa-
tory and social science.
bet Tavangar, author of Growing Up Global, also suggested ways
On Aug. 10, a group of 22 teachers, from elementary school
During the teacher workshop, Dr. Touraj Daryaee, a profes-
to incorporate the artifact in school curricula.
to community college, toured the exhibition and learned ways to
use the Cylinder to promote cultural inclusiveness.
students about the Persian empire and how its history impacts
The Cyrus Cylinder appears to be the oldest text explicit-
our society today,” says Caren Gutierrez, the museum’s manag-
ly respecting local religions and cultures. It records Cyrus the
er of school and teacher programs. “They also learned how the
Great’s efforts to repatriate displaced people and restore temples
Cylinder can help teach students about understanding primary
across Mesopotamia, permitting people to worship the gods of
sources and the values of diversity, tolerance and acceptance.”
their choice. Cyrus advocated religious tolerance, and the Cylin-
der has been described as the first declaration of human rights.
visit education.asianart.org. n
“Teachers learned how to use the Cyrus Cylinder to teach
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To learn about upcoming teacher workshops at the museum,
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OCT 25, 2013—JAN 12, 2014
During one of the world’s longest-running royal reigns—Korea’s Joseon dynasty (1392– 1910)—major milestones were celebrated with elaborate ceremonies that are still vital parts of Korean culture today. Thousands of revelers at a time would participate in days-long festivals of carefully choreographed dancing, music, processions and feasts. In Grand Style takes us inside the Joseon dynasty through more than 110 treasured artworks that depict these festivities. The majority of the works comes from the National Museum of Korea and the National Palace Museum of Korea, and many of them are on view in the U.S. for the first time.
The exhibition is held at a particularly fitting time. In 2003, the Asian
Art Museum opened its Civic Center doors with a show about Korea’s Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). “A decade later,” says director Jay Xu, “we celebrate our 10th anniversary here with the glorious ceremonies of Korea and the rich art of celebration itself.”
In Grand Style reveals the highly colorful celebrations of Korean
kings and queens, featuring remarkable ceremonial objects from the era. The exhibition includes exquisite paintings of royal banquets, a royal throne, a king’s palanquin and other cultural treasures. “These artworks 7
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IN GRAND STYLE: CELEBRATIONS IN KOREAN ART DURING THE JOSEON DYNASTY
immerse you in the dynasty’s grand celebrations while
nected), while the peaks represent the cardinal direc-
telling the intricate story of the lives of the royal court
tions—north, south, east, west—and the center. Other
and the elite,” says Jay Xu.
symbols in royal paintings, like flowing water and trees,
In Grand Style is the result of the Asian Art Mu-
represent the changing and unchanging qualities of the
seum’s collaboration with two of South Korea’s major
world. Together, the elements symbolize the universe,
museums, the National Palace Museum of Korea—the
and when the king’s throne would be placed in front of
main repository of the royal culture of the Joseon dy-
the screen painting, the king would be positioned at
nasty—and the National Museum of Korea, which casts
the center of the universe.
a wider net, collecting important artifacts from the country’s life at all levels of society. In Grand Style is based partly on the National Museum of Korea’s 2009 exhibition Scenes of Banquets and Ceremonies of the Joseon Period and combines artifacts from both Korean institutions to tell a wide-ranging story.
The exhibition traces four themes: what it meant
to be a king in the Joseon dynasty (Lee Gallery), royal processions and banquets (Hambrecht Gallery), women’s roles at the royal court (Osher Gallery), and the lives and celebrations of the elite (Osher Gallery).
Royal processionS and banquets (Hambrecht Gallery) Royal birthdays, weddings and other milestones during the Joseon dynasty were massive affairs, with meticulously planned festivities that could go on for days. Exacting rules governed each detail of the celebrations, right down to the placement of dishes at a banquet table. The careful organization of these events sprang from the Confucian principle that ritual and order are the foundations of a stable, peaceful civilization.
Artwork in Hambrecht Gallery explores royal ban-
to Be a king in the Joseon dynasty
quets and processions to and from the capital. The
(Lee Gallery)
exhibition includes an elaborately detailed 64-foot
The works on display in Lee gallery illustrate the rituals
section of a screen painting of King Jeongjo’s visit to
associated with kings in the Joseon dynasty, from birth
his father’s tomb in the city of Hwaseong in 1795. The
to the throne. Immediately after a royal baby was born,
historic visit included an al-
the tissue surrounding the newborn—including the pla-
most-mile-long procession
centa and umbilical cord—was placed in a set of jars
of thousands of people. Also
and entombed in a special chamber. The practice be-
in the gallery are royal flags
came a symbolic way of safeguarding the royal family
and beautifully illustrated
member’s well-being throughout life. This custom was
silk fans used in rituals and
unique to Korea, and the gallery features several sets
ceremonies.
of placenta jars from the Joseon dynasty.
Among
the
Opposite: King Jeongjo’s Procession to His Father’s Tomb in Hwaseong (detail), 1795. Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392– 1910). Handscroll; ink, colors, and gold on paper. Courtesy National Museum of Korea. Below: Placenta jars of Princess Myeong-an, 1665–1670. Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Porcelain. Courtesy National Museum of Korea.
objects
The royal-court paintings in the exhibition de-
are commemorative books
pict events that included kings, but portraying a king
known as royal protocols
directly in paintings was forbidden at the time (with
(uigwe), in which nearly ev-
exceptions made for official royal portraits). A king’s
ery detail of these intricate
presence was only allowed to be suggested symboli-
celebrations was recorded in text and images. The
cally by an empty throne or other royal objects, such as
books are so detailed that it is possible to reconstruct
screen paintings adorned with images of the sun, moon
the ceremonies even today, a century after the end of
and five peaks. The sun and moon symbolize yin and
Korea’s period of royal rule. These multivolume works
yang (seemingly contradictory forces that are intercon-
have been recognized as cultural treasures by the Unit9
ed Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organi-
and Queen Sinjeong (1808–1890) gained strong influ-
zation (UNESCO).
ence during the reigns of their grandsons and adopt-
Hambrecht Gallery also includes a king’s lavish pa-
lanquin, a symbol of the royal court during the Joseon
ed sons.
Although women were not allowed to occupy the
same physical space as men of the royal court in political meetings, women were allowed to participate unseen, speaking behind screens. Court tensions and intrigues were constant, but the queens were adept at royal politics, and some of them became powerful de facto rulers. Their stories inform the banquet paintings in In Grand Style, which also include depictions of female servants, who were not permitted to marry. Life and celebration of the elite Sun, Moon, and Five Peaks, 1800–1900. Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Folding screen; ink and color on paper, H. 67 3⁄4 x W. 30 in. (each panel). Courtesy National Palace Museum of Korea.
dynasty. In paintings, a palanquin indicates the presence and position of the royal family. The palanquin in this exhibition functioned as a king’s long-distance vehicle. Some long-distance palanquins were drawn by horses, but the remarkable palanquin highlighted here was designed to be carried by sixteen servants, four at each end of the poles.
(Osher Gallery) Osher Gallery also features paintings of Korea’s elite class (yangban), who held the highest social status outside the royal court. The ceremonial objects on display in In Grand Style were typically used in birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, and many of the objects are still actively used in Korean ceremonies today. The gallery showcases an elaborately painted silk folding screen that depicts a luxurious royal banquet. Also
Fifty-ninth Birthday Banquets for Elder Queen Mother Sunwon, 1848. Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Eightpanel folding screen; ink and colors on silk, H. 78 1/8 x W. 19 5/8 in. (each panel). Courtesy National Museum of Korea.
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Women at the court
featured are exquisitely crafted hairpins with bejew-
(OSHER GALLERY)
eled phoenixes delicately perched on the ends. Cere-
Queens were influential figures in Korean society, es-
monial garments—headdresses, veils, bridal robes—are
pecially in the 19th century. The colorful installation in
among other fascinating objects that illustrate the lives
Osher Gallery explores and celebrates the women’s
of Joseon-dynasty elite.
roles in the royal court at the time. Queens could not
be official rulers but some queens acquired extensive
of Korea’s cultural traditions, revealing the vital con-
political power indirectly. Queen Sunwon (1789–1857)
nections between past and present. The exhibition
In Grand Style steps inside the history of many
IN GRAND STYLE: CELEBRATIONS IN KOREAN ART DURING THE JOSEON DYNASTY
promotes the increasingly substantial connections
and that wealthy entrepreneurs should look beyond
between Korea and the Asian Art Museum. When the
material success. Brundage, Lee and many other con-
museum’s founding collector, Avery Brundage, began
tributors over time have helped create an institution
a series of donations to the City of San Francisco in
that preserves and explores the art of Korea and many
1959—giving birth to the museum—his donations includ-
other diverse Asian cultures.
ed numerous Korean objects.
More recently, Asian Art Museum trustee Chong-
own excitement as a museum at the 10-year mark in
Moon Lee contributed $15 million to the construction
our Civic Center home,” says director Jay Xu. “Now
of the museum’s Civic Center home, which bears his
is an excellent time to contemplate this great muse-
name. Lee has said that he was motivated by the belief
um milestone, celebrating our past accomplishments
that successful immigrants have a duty to contribute
while looking forward to new ones.” n
“The festive mood of In Grand Style reflects our Celebrations for the Birth of Crown Prince Yi Cheok (later Emperor Sunjong), 1874. Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910). Ten-panel folding screen; ink and colors on silk. Korean Treasure no. 1443. Courtesy National Palace Museum of Korea.
to the society that has helped them achieve success,
This exhibition was organized by the Asian Art Museum in collaboration with the National Museum of Korea and the National Palace Museum of Korea based on the exhibition Scenes of Banquets and Ceremonies of the Joseon Period held by the National Museum of Korea in 2009. Presentation at the Asian Art Museum is made possible with the generous support of the Koret Foundation, Samsung, The Korea Foundation, The Bernard Osher Foundation, E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Silicon Valley Bank, Jamie and Steve Chen, John and Barbara Osterweis, and Suno Kay Osterweis. Media Sponsors
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12 | Asian Art Museum
ON VIEW
ON VIEW
Proximities: a contemporary trio The exhibitions that compose the Proximities series are structured around a familiar trio of subjects: people, places and things, albeit not quite in that order. Departing from the perspective of San Francisco—a city with diverse demographics—these categories are entry points into the complex and broad question, “What is Asia?” The trilogy of Proximities exhibitions has also been a terrific opportunity to think about the museum’s role in the local community. By bringing together artists and ideas within the galleries of the museum, Proximities has raised unexpected questions, sparked lively debate and introduced a new range of aesthetic concerns to visitors. The first show, What Time Is It There?, featured artwork address-
ing how we imagine places that we cannot fully know, and ques-
examines things. Almost everyone on the planet touches some-
tioned the ability (or impossibility) of art to accurately represent
thing that is mined, manufactured, routed through or outsourced
a place. Parts two and three focus on people and things, respec-
to Asia. Import/Export features projects that trace cycles of com-
tively, as ways in which we come to understand locales, regard-
merce, from manufacturing to shifting markets, and from hard-
less of our physical proximity to them.
ware to software. Featuring Leslie Shows’ use of raw materials,
Finally, the third installment of Proximities, Import/Export,
Proximities 2: Knowing Me, Knowing You, on view now, is
the exhibition looks at manufacturing through Imin Yeh’s hand-
about the human connections and relationships that contribute to
made shopping-bag project (inspired by a recent residency in In-
our understanding of Asia. With various degrees of nostalgia, the
dia) and Rebeca Bollinger’s handmade objects emulating trinkets
artists in this exhibition nod to people they have known—family,
brought back from Asia by her industrialist father. We also import
friends, strangers and celebrities. The show’s title is borrowed
ideas and information, and with increasing access and speed
from a 1976 hit by the pop group ABBA—a song about bitter-
in today’s digital age—yoga, for example, as Jeffrey Augustine
sweet memories attached to a relationship. Remembrance is per-
Songco references in his video ode to Eastern relaxation tech-
haps most literal in Michael Jang’s photographs of his extended
niques. Amanda Curreri addresses other sorts of bodywork in her
Chinese American family from 1973. Irresistible disco-era inte-
barber pole–inspired installation. Things ultimately dematerialize
riors and TV shows of the 70s are a backdrop for cross-cultural
with Byron Peters’ stack of posters, mass-producing a photo-
interactions that inspire reflection on cultural identity at the time.
graph of clouds seen in Shanghai. Like ever-evolving and diverse
The past and present merge in Polish-born artist Pawel
notions of Asia itself, Peters’ work will disappear over time as
Kruk’s act of embodying martial arts superstar Bruce Lee, and
visitors take a poster, reminding us of the ephemeral exchanges
in Charlene Tan’s homage to the revered and enduring Japanese
that characterize contemporary life. n
artist Yayoi Kusama, whose work in the 1960s brought people together with free love imperatives. Pieces by Barry McGee, Kota Ezawa, Mik Gaspay and Anne McGuire explore how we get to know ourselves, and others, through the nuances of names, faces
—Glen Helfand Glen Helfand, guest curator for Proximities, is an independent writer, critic, curator and educator.
and shared meals. Proximities 2: Knowing Me, Knowing You Oct 11 – Dec 8, 2013 proximities 3: import/export dec 20, 2013 – Feb 23, 2014
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This exhibition was organized by the Asian Art Museum. Presentation at the Asian Art Museum is made possible with the generous support of Graue Family Foundation, Columbia Foundation and an anonymous donor. Image (opposite): Chris in Record Store, from the series The Jangs, 1973, by Michael Jang (American, b. 1951). Gelatin silver print. Courtesy of the artist and Stephen Wirtz Gallery.
FROM THE GALLERIES
Wrapped up in history Once considered merely functional, beautiful bojagi cloths reveal
14 | Asian Art Museum
a hidden side of Korean history Bojagi are traditional Korean wrapping cloths, colorful
Imagine the lives of Korean women in the Joseon dynasty (1392–
1910), a time when strict Confucian society denied women ac-
square or rectangular compositions pieced together out of scraps
cess to education and intellectual pursuits and confined women
of silk, cotton, hemp or ramie left over from other garments. Bo-
physically to their own quarters in the household. By day, the
jagi, which are used to cover everything from bedding and tables
housewives carried out their designated tasks: cooking, clean-
to food dishes and precious Buddhist sutras, date back to the
ing, caring for their families. But at night, women gathered the
Three Kingdoms period (57 BCE–668 CE), but the tradition re-
remnants of fabrics to sew and connect with each other, making
ally flourished during the Joseon dynasty. The wrapping cloths
wrapping cloths known as bojagi. Hyonjeong Kim Han, the Asian
were decorative and practical, but they also had religious and
Art Museum’s curator of Korean art, describes sewing bojagi as
symbolic uses: the women who made bojagi at the time infused
a way for female artisans at the time to “express their pent-up
their hopes and dreams for their families, friends and themselves
creativity and their deepest desires for their loved ones.”
into the cloth as they sewed.
FROM THE GALLERIES
As Youngmin Lee, a contemporary bojagi artist, explains,
mously by women throughout the ages, bojagi was not recognized
“The word bo means ‘wrapping happiness or fortune.’ ” Bojagi
as an art form until recently. The Asian Art Museum has played
helped mothers maintain ties with their daughters, who typically
an instrumental role in changing that perception: Dr. Kumja Paik
moved in with their husband’s families upon marriage and would
Kim, who preceded Hyonjeong Kim Han at the museum and was
rarely see their own families again. “While the women are making
the first curator of Korean art in the United States, began acquir-
bojagi,” Lee says, “they are thinking of their daughters’ happiness,
ing bojagi for the museum’s permanent collection.
trying to express their love.” Lee is featured in an educational
video on bojagi that will be screened at the museum in December.
cause it was purely functional,” Hyonjeong Kim Han says. “Dr. Kumja
Daughters often used bojagi until the cloths wore out, and
Paik Kim discovered the beauty of bojagi and regarded it artistically.” The Asian Art Museum has more than 30 bojagi pieces, the
would then make new ones to pass on to their own daughters.
largest collection of any museum in the United States.
As with so many beautiful functional objects made anony-
FALL 2013 | 15
“Until 20 years ago, bojagi were not considered an art form be-
FROM THE GALLERIES
Visitors can see two primary types of bojagi on display:
Today bojagi are not only collected by museums but have
gung-bo, made of lavish silks, were created for royal court use
been revived as an expressive art form by contemporary artists
and were often luxuriously embroidered, while min-bo, made and
within and outside Korea. “It was a dying art form until recently,
used by common people, were generally patched together and
but now people realize how precious and beautiful this tradition
look a bit like modern abstract paintings. Bojagi for weddings and
is,” says Lee, who grew up in Korea and lives in the East Bay.
other special occasions were elaborately ornamented.
“I think it’s amazing that I can feel the artistic sense of ancient
The museum’s exhibition In Grand Style: Celebrations in
Korean women when I make bojagi myself.”
Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty features a wedding bojagi,
traditionally used to wrap the customary gift of a wooden goose
recognition at the time are now, many years later, receiving it.
presented by the groom to the bride’s mother, who would pair the
The women might not have imagined that their pieced-together
symbolic goose with a complementary wooden goose. “The bo-
wrapping cloths would one day be treasured parts of museum
jagi wrapped the two geese, symbolizing the unification of bride
collections, much less inspire artists a century later and far
and groom and the two families,” Hyonjeong Kim Han explains.
beyond Korea’s shores. n
The Korean women who created these treasures without
Images: Pg 14: Wrapping cloth (bojagi), approx. 1950–1960. Korea. Silk with patchwork design. Acquisition made possible by Korean Art and Culture Committee, 2005.73. Pg 15 (l): Wrapping cloth (bojagi)with goose motif, approx. 1900. Korea. Embroidered cotton on silk. Gift of Mrs. Chung-Hee Kim, 1993.4. Pg 15 (r): Wrapping cloth (bojagi), 1950–1960. Korea. Patchwork silk. Gift of Mrs. Ann Witter, 1998.57. Pg 16: Wrapping cloth (bojagi) (detail), approx. 1900–2000. Korea. Silk. Gift of Chung Hee Kim, 2009.10. All images © Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.
Korean art holds a special place in the heart and mind of Bay Area philanthropist Susan Koret As the Koret Foundation’s lifetime board chair for more than 30 years, Susan Koret has overseen philanthropic giving throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Following the legacy of her late husband, Joseph Koret, who co-founded the foundation, her philanthropy has supported arts and education, strengthening a wide array of civic organizations and enriching the quality of life in the Bay Area.
Susan Koret, who was born in South Korea, has always taken a personal interest
in raising awareness of the arts of her native country. Due largely to the foundation’s 16 | Asian Art Museum
generous support, the Asian Art Museum has amassed the most comprehensive collection of Korean art outside of Korea, much of which is displayed in the museum’s 2,400-square-foot Koret Foundation Korean Galleries.
Says Koret, “I’m very proud of the fact that we have improved the quality of the
collection and are educating the Bay Area community about this culture.” The Koret Foundation is a major sponsor of the museum’s exhibition In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty, opening Oct. 25. n
YOGA: THE ART OF TRANSFORMATION ASIAN ART MUSEUM FEB 21–MAY 25, 2014 www.asianart.org for tickets and details the Ebrahimi Family Foundation. Presentation at the Asian Art Museum is made possible with the generous support of The Bernard Osher Foundation, Helen and Rajnikant Desai, Kumar and Vijaya Malavalli Walter & Elise Haas Fund. Image: Vishnu Vishvarupa, approx. 1800–1820. India; Rajasthan, Jaipur. Opaque watercolor and gold on paper. Courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Given by Mrs. Gerald Clark, IS.33–2006.
FALL 2013 | 17
Yoga: The Art of Transformation was organized by the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution with support from the Friends of the Freer and Sackler Galleries, the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne and
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Youthquake at the museum Young survivors of the Japanese earthquake use photography
18 | Asian Art Museum
to explore their identities in Things in Between On March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and devastating
learning English, gaining a better understanding of American cul-
tsunami struck the Pacific coast of Japan, destroying entire cities
ture and delivering presentations about reconstruction efforts in
and towns. Two years later, a group of young survivors of the
their communities. The purpose of the project, sponsored by the
disaster visited the Asian Art Museum and created an inspiring
Laurasian Institute and the Japan Foundation Center for Global
photo installation titled Things in Between, which documented
Partnership, is to promote understanding of Japan’s recovery and
their experiences.
foster international bonds and opportunities.
More than 250 high school students from areas affected by
During the students’ visit to the Bay Area, they worked with
the earthquake and tsunami traveled to San Francisco as part of
San Francisco–based artist Tomo Saito on a photographic project
the Kizuna Project, organized by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Af-
inspired by kizuna, meaning “bonds of friendship,” that focused
fairs. The students spent two weeks in the U.S. with host families,
on themes of identity and communication. Saito, a photographer,
EDUCATION & PUBLIC PROGRAMS
musician and designer born in Gifu, Japan, taught the students
Japan as well as personal experiences and the intersection of
basic photographic techniques and gave each one a Polaroid
past and present.
camera. Saito asked them, “How do you imagine yourself being
represented?” He directed the students to explore the museum
and teacher programs, notes that in Things in Between the young
and capture images that best reflect their own identities.
ambassadors from Japan “re-curated” the museum according to
their personal perspectives.
Saito organized the students’ 900 photos by common
Caren Gutierrez, the Asian Art Museum’s manager of school
subjects and themes. With help from Washington High School
students who had visited Japan through the Kizuna Project, he
she says, “and highlights the challenge of representing Asia from
installed the photos in a block based on color variations within the
a single perspective.” But perhaps most meaningful for these stu-
images. The resulting installation, now on display at the museum,
dent survivors were the deep bonds of friendship—the kizuna—
presents a map of sorts, charting connections and ideas about
that resulted from this cross-cultural experience. n
“The installation enhances understanding between cultures,” FALL 2013 | 19
Laura Allen, Phoebe Cowles and Emily Sano
Jay Xu, Reiko and Chong-Moon Lee, Consul General and Mrs. Hiroshi Inomata
Tom and Sarah Fargo, Eliza and Dean Cash
20 Dennis and Alexandra Lenehan
Emily Sano with guests celebrating the exhibition opening
Pam Levy, Matthew Brooks and Joan Vinson
SCENE AT THE ASIAN
Collette and Peter Rothschild
Janet Dobrovolny and Helen Desai
Guests celebrated in the moment at exclusive event reception for the summer exhibition, In the Moment: Japanese Art from the Larry Ellison Collection. Festivities kicked-off with a fundraising dinner, followed by an exclusive Jade Circle donor reception and concluded with a celebration for members at the Contributing levels and above. n
21 Linda Lei, Bianca Larson and Carol Thurston
Bob Oaks, Fred Sheng and Sally Yu Leung
SCENE AT THE ASIAN
Clare Eardley, Qamar Adamjee and Kim Bush Tomio
Alireza Rastegar
SCENE AT THE ASIAN
Nahal Iravani-Sani
On Sunday, August 11, museum members and guests from PAIIA (Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans) and IHF (Iranian Heritage Foundation) celebrated an important artifact and exhibition, The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: A New Beginning, with reception and lecture by John Curtis, Keeper of the Middle East collections, with special interests in Iraq and Iran from the British Museum. n
Forrest McGill, John Curtis and Betty Alberts
Philip Attwood
22
Nasser Manesh
Kamal Azari
MEMBER PROFILE
CHARLES buntjer, Member Since 1966
YOU VISIT THE MUSEUM ALMOST EVERY DAY. WHAT ABOUT IT APPEALS TO YOU SO MUCH? Everybody at the museum is so friendly and helpful, from the guards to the docents to the people in the cafe. I also love the museum’s layout and the exhibitions. I especially liked the Larry Ellison exhibition; it was fantastic. I told everyone I know that they had to see it. TELL US ABOUT A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE YOU’VE HAD AT THE MUSEUM Years ago, I went to watch Tibetan Buddhist monks prepare a mandala—a stunning circular sand painting. A week later, I was shocked to learn that someone had vandalized it. But the monks told me that instead of finding fault, they would just start over. They did not worry about things they could not change. I guess they believed in “go with the flow,” and I have found that to be a very good rule to go by. n
Interested in becoming a member? Connect with 6,000 years of art and culture from throughout cluding special exhibitions, artist demonstrations, performances and other events. For more information, call 415.581.3740 or email members@asianart.org.
FALL 2013 | 23
Asia year-round. Members enjoy free, unlimited admission, in-
RETAIL SELECTIONS
Items to engage and inspire beyond your visit In conjunction with In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty, the museum store has partnered with the Cultural Foundation of the National Museum of Korea (CFNMK) to present a truly remarkable collection of merchandise. The mission of CFNMK is to create art and cultural events that reveal traditional Korean culture as a vibrant presence in contemporary life—and it is the only institution officially entrusted by the Korean government to do so. Several items were developed with CFNMK exclusively for the museum store, and most are not available anywhere else outside of Korea. Don’t miss your chance to purchase these fabulous pieces at the museum store.
We are also pleased to announce our partnership with Korean ceramics producer KwangJuYo. KwangJuYo has very little
exposure in the U.S. retail market—its beautiful dinnerware and decorative ceramics are seen most often at elite restaurants such as San Francisco’s Benu. Thanks to an introduction by Asian Art Museum trustee Jamie Chen, our retail staff has had the privilege of working with KwangJuYo to bring a selection of products to the store that will be a highlight of our In Grand Style merchandise.
Fans of the museum’s celadon ceramics will be particularly excited about the pieces from KwangJuYo, whose raison d’être is
reinterpreting Joseon dynasty porcelain, modernizing the tradition of using elegant ceramics in everyday life. For its Weolbael (Moon White) collection, KwangJuYo uses clay from the same base ingredients found in Joseon-era ceramics. The glaze is mixed with blue pine ash, creating the traditional frosty feeling of white celadon. The pieces are fired at a temperature that results in a soft, cool moon color whose hues change in different light.
24 | Asian Art Museum
Visit the museum store for these items as well as much more. This product will only be available while supplies last.
Royal Seal Patterned Umbrella: Among the many distinctively designed objects commissioned by the Cultural Foundation of the National Museum of Korea are two items that make direct reference to Korea’s Joseon dynasty. The Royal Seal Pattered Umbrella and Scarf (not shown), designed in collaboration with artist Kim Nam Ho, are vividly graphic and highly functional reinventions of the dynasty’s royal seal. Mini Moon-Shaped Pot: Created by Korea’s renowned ceramics company, KwangJuYo, the Mini Moon-Shaped Pot is a hand-thrown contemporary interpretation of the traditional moon jar, an iconic porcelain shape popular in the late Joseon dynasty. White Raised Bell Cups: Another KwangJuYo creation, the White Raised Bell Cups make an elegant gift today just as similar cups have for many years in Korea, where they are a traditional wedding present. The cups are packaged in a beautiful, reusable wooden box.
FEATURED EVENTS ONGOING PROGRAMS
FEATURED EVENTS In-Gallery Talk with
Japanese New Year’s Bell-
Docent Tours:
Curator Hyonjeong Kim Han
Ringing Ceremony
In Grand Style
(Korean Language Tour)
11:30 a.m. Free with museum admission
Daily, 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (45 minutes each)
In-Gallery Talk with
Kids Tours
Korea Foundation
Curatorial Assistant for
Korean Culture Day
Korean Art Silvia Hari
Sun, Nov 17, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free museum admission, courtesy of the Korea Foundation
Fri, Jan 3, 3–3:45 p.m. Free with museum admission
Sat and Sun, Nov 2–Jan 12, 11:30 a.m. (30 minutes) Free with museum admission (kids 12 and younger always get in free)
In-Gallery Talk with
Film screening:
Stories! The Wicked, the
Exhibition Designer
Masquerade
Wily, the Wise
Marco Centin and Exhibition
Sat, Dec 21, 1:30–3:30 p.m. SF Public Library Koret Auditorium
Sun, 1–1:45 p.m. Free with museum admission (kids 12 and younger always get in free)
Fri, Nov 15, 3–3:45 p.m. Free with museum admission
Manager Kelly Bennett
Chang
Fri, Dec 6, 3–3:45 p.m. Free with museum admission
Family Fun Days
AsiaAlive: Korean
First and third Sun, Jan 5 and 19, 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
decorative Painting
Fri through Sun, Dec 6–8, noon–4 p.m. Free with museum admission Teacher Workshop: Stories and Celebrations in Korea
FOR MEMBERS ONLY Interested in becoming a member? Join or renew today. Visit www.asianart.org Member appreciation days and double discount at the museum store
Fri, Nov 15 and Sat, Nov 16, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Members enjoy 20% discount at the museum store, a 10% discount at Cafe Asia, members-only docent-led tours and more. Giving thanks to members during thanksgiving week
Sun, Nov 24–Sat, Nov 30, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Asian Art Museum members may enjoy bringing an unlimited number of guests during the week of Thanksgiving and viewing our special exhibition, In Grand Style: Celebrations of Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty. Museum closed Thanksgiving Day
10:30–11 a.m. stART tour for kids ages 3–7 11–11:15 a.m. gallery parade 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. art making and self-guided activities Free with museum admission
Sat, Dec 7, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. $10, pre-registration required
Omochitsuki!
Japanese New Year’s Bell-
Mochi-Pounding Ceremony
Ringing Ceremony
Korean Tea
Sat, Jan 11, noon–1 p.m. Free with museum admission
Tues, Dec 31, 9:30 a.m. For AAM members and member guests
Sat, Dec 14, 1–2:30 p.m. Free with museum admission
thursday evening hours resume beginning feb 6
This is just a snapshot. want the full picture? This is just a selection of our amazing programs. Check out our calendar at www.asianart.org/events. You’ll find talks, art activities, tours, fun for the family and holiday offerings. Don’t miss out.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
january
february
In Grand Style: Celebrations in Korean Art during the Joseon Dynasty | Oct 25, 2013 – Jan 12, 2014 Proximities 2: Knowing Me, Knowing You Oct 11 – Dec 8, 2013
march
april
Yoga: The Art of Transformation Feb 21 – May 25, 2014
Proximities 3: Import/Export Dec 20, 2013 – Feb 23, 2014
for more information about upcoming exhibitions: www.asianart.org
Enter the Mandala Mar 14 – Oct 26, 2014
Non-Profit Organization U. S . Po s t a g e P A ID Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
ASIAN ART MUSEUM Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art & Culture www.asianart.org 200 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA 94102 USA