COMPASSION: BOY ATTENDANTS OF THE LATE JOSEON DYNASTY
Period
Apr. 2013 (bonte museum's Inaugural Exhibition)
Location
bonte museum Gallery 2
Exhibits
⟨Wooden Child Monk Statue⟩·⟨Wooden Seated Arhat Statue⟩·⟨Wooden Lion Statue⟩ and approximately 40 artworks
bonte museum's inaugural special exhibition in 2013 was ‘Buddha's Compassionate Heart: Wooden Buddhist Child Statues of the Late Joseon Dynasty.’ The exhibition brought together wooden child statues collected from temples across the country to showcase the charm of Korean anthropomorphic sculpture.
Though the wooden child statues may seem insignificant or be placed in a humble position, easily overlooked, their innocent and unadorned appearance, seemingly reflecting one's true self, evokes a sense of endearment. Furthermore, it is believed that entrusting oneself to these wooden child statues brings peace and comfort to the heart. We invite you to come and appreciate the wooden child statues, which embody a compassionate nature within the solemn and majestic realm of Buddhism that our ancestors have long embraced and revered.
YAYOI KUSAMA –
A Dream in Jeju
Period
Aug. 2014 – Dec. 2014
Location
bonte museum Gallerys 3 and 4
Exhibits
⟨Infinite Mirror Room – Gleaming Lights of the Souls⟩·⟨Vanishing Room⟩·⟨Narcissus Garden⟩ and 35 artworks
Chinjesulchan
Period
Apr. 2018 - Sept. 2022
Location
bonte museum Gallery 5
Exhibits
⟨White Porcelain Liquor Container for Loyal Ancestral Rites⟩·⟨Brass Rectangular Grain Vessel for Royal Ancestral Rites⟩ ·⟨Folding screen with paintings of Ritual Implements⟩ and 106 relics
As the second special exhibition of 2017, we are opening ‹Chinjesulchan›, an opportunity to encounter our fading traditional Confucian funeral culture. For a long time, people have believed that death is not the complete end of a person, but that the spirit is immortal. Based on Confucian thought, even during the Joseon Dynasty, death was considered a transition from this world to the next. During the Joseon Dynasty, various rituals were performed to comfort the deceased on their journey to another world and to safely guide them on their way. The next step involved rituals to escort the deceased, who had departed to another world—namely, ancestral rites—and to attend to their spirit. The four-step Gwanhonsangje, which people experience throughout their lives, has carried over into modern society, with its procedures and forms evolving, yet it still firmly grounds itself in our cultural foundation. We hope that ‹Chinjesulchan› will provide an opportunity to engage with our often-overlooked traditional Confucian funeral culture.
Eva Almesson –
Jeju... And Meeting the Haenyeo (Women Divers)
Period
2019. 5.
Location
bonte museum Gallery 4
Exhibits
⟨Full of flowers⟩·⟨Sometimes I Fly Away⟩·⟨‘Mom is a haenyeo’⟩ and 20 artworks
In May 2019, coinciding with the month of the waxing moon, we are hosting the exhibition ⟨Jeju... Meeting the Woman Diver⟩, by Eva Armisén, an artist who paints happiness and cherishes Jeju. Eva Armisén captures the essence of simple, ordinary life with her unique color palette and gentle brushstrokes, creating works that bring peace of mind.
In particular, Eva Armisén has shown a keen interest in the women divers of Jeju, even including illustrations of them in her fairy tale book, and has supported the inscription of Jeju's Haenyeo on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. In ⟨Jeju... Meeting the Woman Diver⟩, you can visually experience the artist's affection for Jeju through the short film 'My Mom is a Woman Diver.' We invite you to discover the small yet delightful happiness hidden in our ordinary lives through Eva Armisén's works, filled with love, happiness, and affection for Jeju.
YAYOI KUSAMA:
Seeking the Soul
Period
Sep. 2023 – Feb. 2024
Location
bonte museum Gallery 5
Exhibits
46 artworks including installation art and prints.
Yayoi Kusama, one of the most celebrated artists of our time, was born in 1929 in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. After studying traditional Japanese painting at the Kyoto Municipal School of Arts and Crafts, she emerged as a leading figure in Japan's postwar avant-garde art scene. In 1957, she moved to the United States, where she presented large-scale paintings, soft sculptures using fabric, and installations featuring furniture and lights, while also participating in happenings and fashion shows like body painting and festivals. Kusama has engaged in various artistic movements, including Minimalism, Pop Art, Zero Group, and Nul Group, transcending the boundaries of contemporary art. Her works are characterized by the repetition, multiplication, and expansion of specific patterns or elements. This exhibition, ⟨Seeking the Soul⟩, features four pieces, including installations, sculptures, and paintings. As art became her therapy, viewers are invited to discover the enchantment of her eternal artistic world through this exhibition.
Beautify your life,
Enrich your life
Period
Oct. 2022 - Feb. 2023.
Location
bonte museum Gallery 5
Exhibits
<일월오봉도>·<요지연도>·<책가도> 등 37 점
2022년 개관 10주년 기념 특별전<삶을 아름답게, 생활을 풍요롭게>는 19세기의 한국적인 아름다움을 지니면서 한국 현대 미술의 모태라고 할 수 있을 만큼 창의성, 시대성, 예술성을 지닌 궁중 장식화와 민화를 만나 보실 수 있습니다. 조선시대 민화는 백성이라는 의미가 포함된 그 이름과 같이 신분에 관계없이 모든 사람들이 참여한 그림으로, 그 시대의 가장 보편적인 꿈과 소망이 담겨있는 그림입니다. 그림에 담긴 이 소망들은 현재까지도 이어져, 우리 모두가 공감할 수 있는 소망이기도 합니다. 또한 왕실의 위엄과 권위를 보여주는 화려한 궁중장식화는 점차 민간으로 파생되어 민화의 기반이 되었으며, 같은 주제와 소재를 그려낸다는 점에서 그 맥을 함께하고 있습니다. 그림 속에 담긴 선조들의 삶과 이야기, 그리고 현재까지 이어진 그 소망들을 엿보고, ‘민화와 궁중장식화’ 본연의 아름다움을 느껴보는 시간이 되시길 바랍니다.
