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| Installation view of the new exhibition, "A New Encounter: Immersive Gallery of Korean Art," at the National Museum Bangkok in Thailand / Courtesy of NMK |
By Park Han-sol
The National Museum of Korea (NMK) has unveiled a new digital content-centered Korean art gallery at the National Museum Bangkok in Thailand.
"A New Encounter: Immersive Gallery of Korean Art," born from the Korean museum's collaboration with the Thai Ministry of Culture, presents traditional Korean cultural heritage that has been reinterpreted via high-end digital technology, as well as Buddhist sculptures from the two countries.
The exhibition marks the first showcase of Korean cultural assets in the Southeast Asian nation.
The highlight of the show constitutes two 11-minute-long works of immersive digital content, produced based on traditional Buddhist paintings and "uigwe" (official records of the state rites of the Joseon Kingdom), respectively, from the NMK's collection.
"Journey of the Soul" is a visual exploration of the Buddhist worldview and beliefs in an afterlife held by Koreans at the time. Inspired by Joseon-era Buddhist paintings such as "The Ten Kings of Hell," "Underworld Messengers" and "The Assembly of Amitabha Buddha," it follows the soul of a deceased person navigating the path to judgment and rebirth.
"Royal Procession with the People" transports the museum visitors to the heart of the festive royal rites that took place over two centuries ago, specifically centering on King Jeongjo's procession to Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.
The king embarked on a regal eight-day trip, marked by opulent parades, banquets and military training, in 1795 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his reign as well as the 60th birthday of his mother.
The digital reconstruction of the procession was made possible through uigwe, which details the protocols for major royal rites and ceremonies of the Joseon court in both prose and illustrations. The documents were inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2007.
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| Installation view of "A New Encounter: Immersive Gallery of Korean Art" / Courtesy of NMK |
In addition to the immersive digital content, "A New Encounter" brings together two Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva ("Gwaneum Bosal" in Korean) sculptures from Korea and Thailand to highlight the long-standing Buddhist traditions and artistic achievements of the two countries.
Gwaneum, the bodhisattva of compassion, remains one of the most popular deities in nearly all regions in which Buddhism was spread.
The ninth-century Buddhist sculpture from the Unified Silla period (676-935) on view was excavated from Bunhwangsa Temple located in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the capital of the ancient kingdom.
The statue, which is carved out of granite, is wearing a crown with an image of Amitabha Buddha, the emblem of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, on its head and is holding a kundika (ritual ewer) in the left hand.
The seventh-century sculpture from the Srivijaya Period (601-1300) of Thailand is similarly portrayed with a headdress decorated with an Amitabha Buddha.
However, unlike its Korean counterpart, the figure is seen wearing a deer skin on its left shoulder and is fashioned out of sandstone that allows for a more delicate representation of the body. While its arms and feet have been lost, it is speculated that the bodhisattva was once holding a lotus in its left hand.
The NMK stated that the exhibition marks the start of cooperative projects between the two countries that will follow in the coming years, which include the permanent establishment of a Korean art section in the Thai museum and other shows based on mutual cultural exchanges.
"A New Encounter" runs through May 21, 2023, at the National Museum Bangkok.
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