YONGIN, Jun. 6 (Korea Bizwire) – A groundbreaking exhibition at the Hoam Museum of Art in Yongin, South Korea, operated by the Samsung Foundation of Culture, has attracted more than 60,000 visitors since its opening on March 27.
Titled “Unsullied, Like a Lotus in Mud,” the ambitious show sheds light on Buddhist art from Korea, China, and Japan through the lens of gender, focusing on the oft-overlooked contributions of women.
Geumdong Gwaneum Bosaripsang (Standing Gilt-bronze Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva Statue)
“Despite the significant number of female Buddhist devotees, there has been no exhibition that looked back on the contributions of women in Buddhist history until now,” explained Lee Seung-hye, a curator at the Samsung Foundation of Culture, during a docent tour on June 4. “The lotus flower blooming from the mud is a metaphor for women preserving their purity.”
Among the highlights is a gilded bronze statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara from the Baekje Kingdom, estimated to date back to the mid-7th century. Standing at 26.7 centimeters tall, the exquisite figure makes its public debut in South Korea through this exhibition.
Another masterpiece on display is a rare mother-of-pearl-inlaid lacquer case from the Goryeo Dynasty, designated a National Treasure. Only six such items are known to exist worldwide.
The Hoam Museum exhibition represents five years of planning by the Samsung Foundation of Culture. In an unprecedented effort, 92 Buddhist artworks (48 from Korea, 19 from China, and 25 from Japan) were assembled from 27 collections across Korea, Japan, the United States, and Europe.
More than half of these pieces, 47 in total, are being shown in Korea for the first time.
As the June 16 closing date approaches, the exhibition continues to draw around 1,000 visitors daily. RM, the leader of the globally renowned K-pop group BTS and known art enthusiast, even shared his visit on social media.
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong has guided five separate groups of prominent guests through the exhibition, introducing Korean traditional culture and highlighting Samsung’s efforts to promote the nation’s cultural and artistic development.
In 2021, the Lee family donated over 23,000 artworks collected by the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee to the South Korean government.
These included National Treasure No. 216, “Inwang Jaseokdo” by Jeong Seon, as well as works from Monet, Miro, Dali, Chagall, Picasso, Renoir, Gauguin, Pissarro, and a number of other prominent Korean artists.
Across three generations—founder Lee Byung-chull, former Chairman Lee Kun-hee, and current Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong—the Lee family has consistently contributed to the advancement of Korean culture and arts.
Heewon, the traditional garden of the Hoam Museum of Art
As Lee Byung-chull stated at the Hoam Museum’s opening in 1982, “The reason I have devoted myself to collecting cultural properties with warm affection is my belief that it would help preserve our nation’s cultural heritage and enhance our people’s pride.”
Under Lee Kun-hee’s leadership, the Leeum Museum of Art, established in 2004, became a mecca for Korea’s art scene.
The traditional garden at Hoam Museum, Heewon, was also renovated in accordance with Lee’s vision of preserving and passing down Korean garden heritage.
Image credit: The Hoam Museum of Art , Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
