Over 600 Masterpieces of Korean Craft to Tour Nationwide... ‘Traveling Craft Masterpieces Exhibition’ Opens

The Ministry of Culture and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation

to Hold Traveling Exhibitions at 13 Venues in Four Regions Until February Next Year

Gangwon, Yeongnam, Chungcheong, and Honam-Jeju Regional Exhibitions Feature 104 Artists

Craft begins in the hands, but once complete, it needs a place to stay for a long time. When those places are concentrated only in a few exhibition halls in Seoul, craft remains a distant art form for regional audiences. From this summer until early next year, major works of Korean craft will tour 13 exhibition venues nationwide. From the accumulated time of traditional artisans to the experiments of contemporary artists, over 600 craft pieces will visit audiences in various regions.

'Traveling Craft Masterpieces Exhibition 2026' poster. This exhibition, touring 13 exhibition venues nationwide, is organized through regional planning for Gangwon, Yeongnam, Chungcheong, Honam, and Jeju areas, providing an opportunity to experience the materials, techniques, and regional characteristics of Korean crafts up close in everyday life. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on July 3 that it will hold the 'Traveling Craft Masterpieces Exhibition' in collaboration with the Korea Craft and Design Foundation from July until February next year. This exhibition is part of the 'It's Coming to Our Neighborhood!' initiative, which supports regional performances and exhibitions to reduce cultural disparities between regions. By expanding craft exhibitions, which were previously centered in the Seoul metropolitan area, into four regions—Gangwon, Yeongnam, Chungcheong, and Honam-Jeju—the project aims to bring craft closer to everyday life in local communities.

The scale is significant as well. A total of 104 craft artists from across the country will participate in this traveling exhibition, presenting over 600 works. There will be three exhibitions each in the Gangwon, Yeongnam, and Chungcheong regions, and four in the Honam-Jeju region, for a total of 13 national and public museums, art galleries, and local cultural venues. Each exhibition will run for about a month, starting at Cheonan City Museum of Art, and will then move on to Wonju, Busan, Iksan, Jinju, Yeosu, Asan, Chuncheon, Gwangju, Changwon, Cheongju, Gangneung, and Jeju.

A distinctive feature of this exhibition is that it does not simply replicate a single plan across the country. Instead, each of the four regions will have a unique exhibition reflecting its local culture and craft characteristics. Four specialist craft curators are in charge of the exhibitions, highlighting the materials, environment, techniques, and lifestyle culture of each region. Local craft artists will also participate in each exhibition, making this not just a touring show but also one with a strong local identity.

The Gangwon region exhibition is titled 'Homo Faber / Homo Sentiens: To Make, To Sense.' It presents humans as both toolmakers and sensory beings. Twenty-eight artists, including Yang Yoojin and Kim Byungwook, holders of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, will participate. The exhibition explores how the physical properties of craft materials and techniques translate into sensory experiences. It will begin at Hakseong Gallery in Wonju, then move to the National Chuncheon Museum, and finally to Gangneung Art Center.

The Yeongnam region exhibition is called 'Yeongnam Yullyeo.' The word 'yullyeo' refers to the order of musical notes in traditional Korean music. The exhibition interprets Yeongnam’s nature, environment, and restrained aesthetics through this system of musical order. Thirty-two artists will participate, including glass artist Park Sunghoon, who won the Gold Prize at the 2023 Cheongju International Craft Competition. The exhibition will be held at Domohon in Busan, the Jinju Railroad Culture Park Vehicle Maintenance Depot, and the Seongsan Art Hall in Changwon. The aim is to read both the landscape of the region and the rhythm of its craft.

The Chungcheong region exhibition is titled 'The Masterpieces of Korean Craft: Roots and Fruits.' It sheds light on the present of Korean craft by presenting the time-honored skills of traditional artisans alongside the variations of contemporary artists. Sixteen artists, including Lee Heonjeong, Ko Bohyung, Ha Jihoon, and Kim Junyong—winners of the 'Craftsman of the Year' award—will participate. The 'roots' refer to accumulated skills and tradition, while the 'fruits' point to contemporary sensibility and new formative languages. The exhibition will start at Cheonan City Museum of Art and continue at Onyang Folk Museum in Asan and the Cheongju Korea Craft Museum.

The Honam-Jeju region exhibition is titled 'Common Wealth.' Here, craft is seen not as a personal collection or decorative object, but as a cultural asset connecting the life of the community. Twenty-eight artists, including National Intangible Cultural Heritage holder Kim Seungwoo, will participate, exploring the meaning of craft as it expands from the physicality of materials and the skill of the hands to its role and relationships in daily life. The exhibition will be held at the National Iksan Museum, Yeosu Expo Convention Center, Gwangju Design Promotion Agency, and Art Space IA in Jeju.

Craft is not a genre that shines only in museums and galleries. Ceramics, furniture, metal, glass, textiles, wood, and clay are all closely tied to the senses of everyday life. This is why the exhibition, despite bearing the title 'Masterpieces,' is designed to tour local cultural facilities. The closer one looks at craft, the more the texture of the materials, the traces of hands, and the imagination of use come alive. For regional audiences, it is a chance to experience the main currents of Korean craft without traveling to Seoul, and for local artists, it is an opportunity for their work to be recognized within the broader landscape of Korean craft.

Detailed schedules, venues, and visitor information for each exhibition can be found sequentially on the Korea Craft and Design Foundation website and Instagram, as well as through the information channels of each hosting venue.

An official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, "'The Traveling Craft Masterpieces Exhibition' was organized to share the excellence of Korean craft across the country and allow more people to enjoy craft in their daily lives." The official added, "We hope that this traveling exhibition will further connect local communities with craft culture, and that the artistry and everyday value of Korean craft will continue to expand together."

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