Korea’s Chopsticks Culture to be Introduced in Australia Through Artwork

SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – The Korean Cultural Center in Sydney, Australia has announced that it will be holding a chopsticks exhibition at the center’s gallery from October 10 to November 9, as a way of introducing Korean culture to the Australian masses. Co-hosted by the Cheongju Cultural Industry Promotion Foundation and titled “Feast of K-Chopsticks: Korean Craft and Design,” the exhibition features artwork created by 80 artists based in Cheongju whose works were inspired by chopsticks.

Over the duration of a month, over 500 pieces of artwork and videos will be on display at the cultural center. The exhibition will also incorporate artwork on loan by Japanese and Chinese chopsticks associations, allowing visitors to compare and contrast the chopsticks culture of the three neighboring nations. One highlight of the exhibition is a video titled “Chopsticks within Korean paintings.”

The video will point out significant Korean paintings such as “Lunch” by Kim Heung-do and “Gangbyeong Drinking Party” by Kim Deuksik, in which visitors can see how chopsticks were depicted in old Korean paintings.

At the opening of the exhibition, artist Lee Jong-kuk will hold a workshop demonstrating the art of creating wooden chopsticks, which will be followed by a performance by “Solot,” a traditional percussion band currently based in the Cheongju area. Park So-jeong, the director of the Korean Cultural Center Australia, said that by introducing artwork based on Korea’s chopsticks culture, the exhibit aims to show the diversity that exists in the nation’s culture.

Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)

Image courtesy of Yonhap, Flickr/NET and Wikimedia Commons