80,000 Visited the "Lee Kunhee Collection" in Washington... Now Headed to Chicago

"National Treasures of Korea: 2,000 Years of Korean Art" Opens on March 7
244 Cultural Assets on Display... UK Tour Scheduled for October

An exhibition of Korean art centered on donations from the late Lee Kunhee, former Chairman of Samsung, will open in Chicago, following its run in Washington, D.C.

Visitors are viewing artworks at the Lee Kunhee Collection international touring exhibition held at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC, USA. Photo by Yonhap News

The National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art announced on March 4 that the overseas touring exhibition of the Lee Kunhee Collection, titled "National Treasures of Korea: 2,000 Years of Korean Art," will be held at the Art Institute of Chicago from March 7 to July 5.

This exhibition is the second in the international tour, following the first held at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. in November of last year. The Washington exhibition drew about 80,000 visitors, making it the most attended special exhibition at the museum in the past five years.

The Chicago exhibition will feature 244 pieces from 127 cultural heritage items, including 7 National Treasures and 15 Treasures. In addition, 13 works of modern and contemporary Korean art from the collection of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art will also be presented.

Visitors are appreciating the National Treasure Inwangjesaekdo by Geumjae Jeong Seon at the special exhibition donated by Chairman Lee Kun Hee. Photo by Yonhap News

Highlighted works include "Inwangjesaekdo" by Jeong Seon (Gyeomjae), "Chuseongbudo" by Kim Hongdo, a gilt-bronze Buddha from the Three Kingdoms period, "Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara" from the Goryeo dynasty, the Joseon-era Buddhist scripture "Seokbosangjeol," and a white porcelain bowl inscribed with the characters for "Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow." Masterpieces of modern and contemporary art such as "Bull" by Lee Jungseop and works by Park Sookeun will also be showcased.

The exhibition focuses on providing an overview of two thousand years of Korean art, from the Three Kingdoms period to the late 20th century. It features traditional paintings, Buddhist art, ceramics, and modern and contemporary paintings, highlighting the historical and cultural depth of Korean art.

This exhibition is also the result of a collaborative support project for the Korean Gallery, established between the National Museum of Korea and the Art Institute of Chicago in 2022. It is the first large-scale special exhibition of Korean art at the Art Institute of Chicago in approximately 46 years.

Additionally, it is significant as the first special exhibition of Asian art to be held in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano.

Yu Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, attending the opening ceremony of the overseas touring exhibition of the late Lee Kunhee, Chairman of Samsung, titled "Treasures of Korea: Collecting, Cherishing, and Sharing," held at the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington D.C., USA. Photo by National Museum of Korea

In connection with the exhibition, Yu Hongjun, Director of the National Museum of Korea, is scheduled to give lectures on Korean culture and history at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago on March 5 and at the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago on March 7.

After the Chicago exhibition, the international tour will continue at the British Museum in London in October, and is scheduled to conclude with its final exhibition on January 31 next year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.