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Korean Arts

Korean art, the painting, calligraphy, pottery, sculpture, lacquerware, and other fine or decorative visual arts produced by the peoples of Korea over the centuries.

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Jenifer Roque
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148 views3 pages

Korean Arts

Korean art, the painting, calligraphy, pottery, sculpture, lacquerware, and other fine or decorative visual arts produced by the peoples of Korea over the centuries.

Uploaded by

Jenifer Roque
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Korean Arts

Traditional Korean arts are unique cultural treasures that have


been bequeathed from master artisan to master artisan since
antiquity. Inspired by the natural world, these beautiful traditional
handicrafts are marked by their use of natural, organic forms and
simple adornment. Korean folk painting, calligraphy, Korean
mulberry paper and clay dolls are just a few exquisite examples of
traditional Korean arts

Korean arts include traditions in calligraphy, music, painting and


pottery, often marked by the use of natural forms, surface
decoration and bold colors or sounds.
The earliest examples of Korean art consist of stone age works
dating from 3000 BC. These mainly consist of votive
sculptures and more recently, petroglyphs, which were
rediscovered.
This early period was followed by the art styles of various Korean
kingdoms and dynasties. Korean artists sometimes
modified Chinese traditions with a native preference for simple
elegance, spontaneity, and an appreciation for purity of nature.
The Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392) was one of the most prolific
periods for a wide range of disciplines, especially pottery.
The Korean art market is concentrated in the Insadong district
of Seoul where over 50 small galleries exhibit and occasional fine
arts auctions. Galleries are cooperatively run, small and often with
curated and finely designed exhibits. In every town there are
smaller regional galleries, with local artists showing in traditional
and contemporary media. Art galleries usually have a mix of
media. Attempts at bringing Western conceptual art into the
foreground have usually had their best success outside of Korea
in New York, San Francisco, London and Paris.
Minhwa (Korean Folk Painting) – a reflection of the commoner's
hopes

Calligraphy – the art of writing


Hanji (Korean paper) – a traditional art form with a multitude of
modern uses
Silla Clay Dolls (Tou) – a glimpse into the culture of ancient
Koreans

Korean art possesses several distinguishing characteristics that


create a unique style quite distinct from other Asian art. It
respects nature, and the extensive use of quiet and subdued
colors is manifested in Korean paintings and ceramics. Humor is
another characteristic of Korean Art. Bold exaggeration, the
acceptance of non-symmetrical cubic objects, and unique spatial
beauty conveyed by imperfect roundness are examples of humor
in Korean art.
A sense of quiet harmony is other characteristic of Korean art,
meaning that there is no excess, the right materials being
selected in scale with the surroundings. With all these
characteristics, the Korean arts have been imbued with a unique
aesthetic sense which depicts beauty with honesty and simplicity
that is free of artifice.
The Koreans are one ethnic family speaking one language. They share certain
distinct physical characteristics which differentiate them from other Asian peoples
including the Chinese and the Japanese, and they have a strong cultural identity
as one ethnic family. The Mongol tribes which migrated onto the Korean
Peninsula from Central Asia particularly during the Neolithic Age (c. 5000-1000
B.C.) and the Bronze Age (c. 1000-300 B.C.).
The Koreans were a homogeneous people by the beginning of the Christian era.
In the seventh century A.D., they were politically unified for the first time by the
Shilla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) and subsequently witnessed a great cultural
flourishing.
Korean foods are definitely different from foods elsewhere in the world. The one
attribute which stands out the most is spiciness. The other is that many dishes
are served at room temperature (yet some are served boiling hot). Korean food
has a distinctive flavor, with the use of various vegetables and spices to
complement the meats. Hanjongshik (한정식) literally means "full course Korean
meal" which consists of grilled fish, steamed short ribs, and multiple side dishes.
The usual Korean meal is rather elaborate when served in a restaurant even if
defined only by the quantity offered.

The staple of the Korean diet is kimchi (김치). It has become, through tradition
and enduring style, almost a religious activity to prepare. Kimjang (김장), which
occurs in the autumn harvest season, is the most important annual social event
of Korea, at which time the dish is prepared in great quantities. The ingredients
are trucked in in huge piles. The women gather in groups to spend hours cutting,
washing and salting the cabbage and white radishes. Then they are rubbed with
red pepper, then garlicked and pickled. The concoction is then buried in huge
earthenware crocks to keep it fresh yet fermenting though the winter months. By
the time the moment arrives for people to feast upon the final product, it is fiery
hot. Some kimchi is milder, such as a light brine kimchi, usually prepared in the
summer months when it is difficult to retain its freshness. There is also a type of
light kimchi soup - fermented water with vegetables which is usually served aside
a variety of other side dishes.

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