Special Exhibition

, Title, Period, Venue, Contents, Date, Attach 상세정보 입니다.

Title

PARADE

Period

Special Exhibition Hall 1

Venue

23 Oct 2024(Wed)~3 Mar 2025(Mon)

Title: PARADE

Venue: Special Exhibition Hall 1

Period: 23 Oct 2024(Wed)~3 Mar 2025(Mon)

Exhibition Theme: Re-examining perceptions of death through Kokdu, funeral bier, and funerary rites

Exhibition Items: Over 250 pieces of Kokdu donated by the Dongsoong art center (Director Kim Ock-rang)

Composition
Part 1. Unfamiliarity, To Confront
Part 2. Farwell, To embrace
Part 3. Journey, To let go
Epilogue: A journey with Kokdu
Another Story: Life with Kokdu, Kokdu’s mother

Exhibition Overview

Life ends, as it does for all living things.
Death, a constant stranger to the living,
Is something we’ve never truly known.

Death is whispered to be the beginning of a journey into the unknown.
The living may feel deep sadness in the face of death,
But they cannot join the journey to the next world.
All they can do is send someone with those who must go.

The only friend on the way to the other side is Kokdu.

Just as the midwife welcomes us at birth and the parents care for us in life,
When we exhale our last breath here and inhale the first in the afterlife,
It is Kokdu who welcomes and guides us.
And this exhibition invites you to meet Kokdu, a Korean carved wooden figure.
Often vibrantly painted, Kokdu figures represent various roles,
helping the transition peacefully to the afterlife.

Korean ancestors would say “go back” instead of “die”
Believing that the place we go after death is where we first came from.

As we journey through the world of the dead, returning to their spiritual home,
Surrounded by the vibrant and colorful Kokdu,

And with a piece of our cherished heritage,
We hope you reflect on life and death through the lens of Korean tradition.

Part 1 Unfamiliarity, To confront

When a family member passes away,
Loved ones perform a ritual, hoping that the departed might return.
They climb to the roof with the deceased’s usual clothing
And call out the name of the dead, trying to turn back the clock to bring back the soul.
Yet, the living must face this strange and sorrowful goodbye.
And they begin the rituals to make sure
A peaceful journey for the deceased into the afterlife.

At the time of death, one must leave the familiar world behind,
And begin the journey to the afterlife.
This is when the The Caregiving Kokdu, a servant-looking wooden figure, greets the deceased,
Easing their fears in this unknown world,
And guiding them gently to the other side.
Other Kokdus in the form of Immortals, Buddah, monks and shamans,
Also offer their comfort to the deceased.

Part 2 Farewell, To embrace

The living say good bye to the deceased
Through rituals meant to bring them peace in the afterlife.
One such ritual is ssitgimgut, or “the ritual of washing.”
It cleanses the sorrows and impurities of this life,
Allowing the soul to enter the next life purified.
While ssitgimgut is mainly for the dead,
It also offers comfort to those left behind.

As the living feel sadness in the face of death,
So does the one nearing it.
They grieve the loss of connection with loved ones,
And fear the loneliness of an unknown place.
In this moment, The Entertaining Kokdu steps in to soothe the departing soul.
Dressed as a clown, they perform playful tricks
And play various instruments, bring calm and comfort to the deceased’s mind.

Part 3 Journey, To let go

The living prepare a funeral to say goodbye to the deceased.
It marks the moment the deceased leaves their home in this life,
As the body is laid to rest and the mortuary tablet is placed with care.
The deceased travels in a beautifully decorated Bier to the other side,
Carried through their home and village for a final goodbye.
The living mourn this sorrowful parting, hoping they can rest in peace,
While the pallbearers singing a song, which Koreans call sangyeosori, to wish the dead eternal life beyond this world.

The journey from this world to the next is long and difficult.
That’s why The Guardian Kokdu is needed along the way.
They leads the deceased safely to the other side, protecting them from harm.
Riding alongside the bier,
They mount a horse, tiger, or spirit animal,
Armed with weapons and fierce expressions,
To shield the departed from evil spirits.

Epilogue A journey with Kokdu

Now, the Caregiver, the Entertainer and the Guardian stand united,
Ready to embark on the journey to the next world.
Shall we now meet the dragons and phoenixes
who will guide the deceased and Kokdus on this sacred path?
What might the ideal world we once dreamed of look like?

Another Story Life with Kokdu, Kokdu’s mother

In one of the many antique shops along Cheonggyecheon 5-ga,
I found a Kokdu, wrapped in ragged cloth, tucked away in a corner, ready to be forgotten.
As I gazed at a female Kokdu dressed in a green jeogori (jacket) and a red chima (skirt), her right hand raised,
It felt an echo of my own reflection.

With a serene expression and feet firmly grounded,
The way she held her hand aloft
Seemed to embody a woman who had endured life's trials and finally found her peace.
I felt as though this Kokdu had been waiting for me all along.
Offering a comfort I hadn’t known in years.

I gathered Kokdus in my room, and when I was with them,
I felt as if they were protecting me.

“I'll keep you alive, and you will also keep me alive.”

Materials

	*Man wearing a gat, standing with a boy* 20^th Century This caregiving Kokdu tends to the deceased. A man and a boy stand together. The man wears a traditional Korean hat, known as gat, and a long Korean robe, or durumagi, while holding one of the boy’s ears. The boy stands with his hands clasped together. Two figures are carved as a single piece.
	Performing acrobatics 20^th Century This is a clown Kokdu who plays musical instruments and performs acrobatics to entertain the deceased. This Kokdu is doing a handstand. Such performers are called jaein, meaning talented individuals who entertain people with their skills.
	Warrior riding a tiger 20^th Century These are guardian Kokdus who guide the deceased to the afterlife while protecting them from danger. Stern-looking warriors wearing gat or tugu are riding tiger.
	Musician Kokdu 20^th Century These Kokdus, intended for the same bier, are all playing musical instruments. While the types of instruments vary, their clothing and the shape of their hats are the same.
	Warriors riding a horse 20^th Century These are guardian Kokdus who guide the deceased to the afterlife while protecting them from danger. Stern-faced warriors, wearing either a traditional Korean hat known as a gat or a Korean knight’s iron helmet, tugu, are sitting on horses.
	Bier and Dragon plate end boards to decorate the bier 20^th Century Plates with a dragon with eyes wide open, sharp teeth, and a wild beard, or a imagined face of a ghost. These plates are placed at the front and back of the bier to ward off evil spirits.
	Bier and Horizontal dragon plate with guides to decorate the bier 20^th Century On the ridge of the bier, a blue dragon and a yellow dragon are entwined, facing opposite directions, with some Kokdus riding on top of them.
	Bride with raised left arm 19^th Century Kokdu museum This is the Kokdu that Kim Ock-rang first encountered at an antique shop in Cheonggyecheon. It is dressed in a green jeogori (jacket) and a red chima (skirt), with Korean style bun with a long hairpin called binyeo. There is a hole on her left hand holding upright, which suggests that she was holding a flower.

Date

2024-10-23

List

이전글, 다음글 등의 정보가 있습니다.
이전글	Restoration and Reproduction of the Folding Screen and Its Mounting
다음글	다음글이 없습니다.