Inwangjesaekdo and Other Lee Kun-hee Donated Works Embark on First Overseas Tour, Opening in Washington

[Financial News] The National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) announced on the 14th that the first international touring exhibition of works donated by the late Lee Kun-hee, former chairman of Samsung Group, will open on the 15th (local time) at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. The exhibition is titled 'Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared.'
The exhibition features more than 330 works, including 297 pieces from the National Museum of Korea’s collection (comprising seven National Treasures and fifteen Treasures) and 24 modern and contemporary artworks from the MMCA. Notably, Jeong Seon's National Treasure 'Inwangjesaekdo' will be unveiled in the United States for the first time.
The National Museum of Asian Art, part of the Smithsonian Institution, holds special significance as the first institution in the United States to introduce Korean art. The museum postponed the opening once due to a temporary U.S. federal government shutdown, but with the resumption of operations on the 12th, the exhibition is now opening as planned.
The 20,000 works donated by Lee Kun-hee’s family in 2021 have received enthusiastic responses in Korea over the past four years. The National Museum of Korea’s special exhibition, 'An Invitation from a Collector,' attracted a cumulative 1.16 million visitors nationwide, while the MMCA’s Lee Kun-hee Collection exhibition drew 1.46 million. In total, 2.62 million people visited the donated collections at both institutions.
This overseas tour was organized in response to this strong public support. After Washington, the exhibition will travel to Chicago (March–July) and then to the British Museum in London (September 2024–January 2027).
The exhibition encompasses the full spectrum of Korean art, including Goryeo celadon, Joseon white porcelain, gilt-bronze Buddhist statues from the Three Kingdoms period, Goryeo Buddhist scriptures, Joseon paintings and calligraphy, royal art, and modern and contemporary paintings, showcasing the creativity, technique, and aesthetics of Korean art.
Highlights include Jeong Seon's 'Inwangjesaekdo,' Kim Hongdo's 'Chuseongbudo,' 'Worin seokbo,' Joseon chaekgado (bookshelf paintings), the Goryeo 'Avatamsaka Sutra (The Flower Garland Sutra),' Whanki Kim's 'Echo,' and Park Su-geun's 'Nongak.' The modern and contemporary section sheds light on the reinterpretation of Korean painting and sculpture, experimental works reflecting the turbulent 20th century, and the expansion and diversity of contemporary Korean art, including works by female artists.
This exhibition is also a result of the Korean Gallery Support Project. The National Museum of Korea signed agreements with The Art Institute of Chicago in 2022 and the National Museum of Asian Art in 2023 to establish Korean galleries, which paved the way for this tour. Curators from the National Museum of Korea are dispatched to each venue to ensure the safe operation of the exhibition.
In conjunction with the exhibition, popular cultural products such as Inwangjesaekdo-themed fans and lamps, Goryeo celadon and moon jar keyrings, and other 'Myuz' items will also be introduced. An international symposium on Korean art and collecting is scheduled for January next year.
After closing in Washington, D.C. on February 1 next year, the exhibition will move to Chicago, the heart of the American Midwest, where it will be held at The Art Institute of Chicago from March 7 to July 5.
The exhibition will then cross the Atlantic to the British Museum in London, where it will run from September 10, 2024, to January 10, 2027.
Yoo Hong-jun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, stated, “As this exhibition, which begins in Washington, D.C., continues to Chicago and London, I hope the creativity and artistry of Korean culture, as the source of the Korean Wave (Hallyu), will be widely shared with people around the world. Through this exhibition, I believe Korea’s history, spirit, and timeless aesthetic values will resonate globally through our cultural heritage.”
Kim Sung-hee, Director of the MMCA, remarked, “This meaningful exhibition demonstrates that Korean culture and art, while rooted in tradition, are moving in new directions that embrace historical diversity and hybridity. With the combined efforts of the National Museum of Korea and the MMCA, we will showcase Korean culture and art across the globe, from Washington, D.C. and Chicago to London.”
[email protected] Yoo Sun-jun Reporter