"Records Carved in Stone"... Jeongeup City Museum Holds Special Exhibition on Dongcho Kim Seokgon

Special Exhibition Runs from June 28 to October 25

First Public Display of Handwritten Records Left in the Margins of "Jeongeup Gunji"

The life and art of calligrapher Dongcho Kim Seokgon (1877-1953), known for inscribing characters on rocks throughout Jeongeup in North Jeolla Province, are being highlighted together for the first time.

Jeongeup City Museum will hold a special exhibition titled "Records Left on Stone, Dongcho Kim Seokgon" in the planning exhibition hall from the 28th to October 25th.

The exhibition offers an opportunity to explore the artistic world of Kim Seokgon, who was born in Jeongeup, through his engraved inscriptions on rocks, calligraphy works, and archival materials, shedding light on the life of a Confucian scholar during the Japanese colonial period.

Jeongeup City Museum will hold a special exhibition titled "Records Left on Stone, Dongcho Kim Seokgon" in the planning exhibition hall from the 28th to October 25th. Provided by Jeongeup City Hall

The exhibition will feature 30 pieces, including a 1918 portrait of Kim Seokgon painted by Seokji Chae Yongshin, a renowned painter and portrait artist from Jeongeup, works and archival materials donated by his descendants for this exhibition, and artifacts researched and collected by the museum.

Of particular note is the "Dongcho Gakjagi," personally inscribed by Kim Seokgon in the margins of "Jeongeup Gunji," published in 1918. The “Samdong Seocheop” and “Jeonghui Seocheop,” both containing Kim Seokgon’s calligraphy and records, will also be presented for the first time.

Rubbings of engraved inscriptions left by Kim Seokgon not only on famous mountains in Jeongeup—such as Naejangsan, Duseungsan, and Chilbongsan—but also on peaks across the nation, will be displayed. Through these engraved writings, visitors can trace the journey of where Kim Seokgon traveled and what thoughts and words he left behind in various locations.

Main exhibits include: ▲ the handwritten record Kim Seokgon left in the 1918 "Jeongeup Gunji" ▲ calligraphy works and scrolls ▲ rubbings of inscriptions on Naejangsan, Duseungsan, and Chilbongsan ▲ his portrait and family photos ▲ materials related to Dongcho’s younger brother, Kim Dalgon, who was an independence activist.

Additionally, family photos and a portrait of his younger brother Kim Dalgon, along with other related materials, will be released, offering a multifaceted view not only of Kim Seokgon’s individual artistic activity but also his family history and the era in which he lived.

Kim Seokgon’s rock inscriptions go beyond mere works of calligraphy; they are also traces of a person who lived through an era. Even during the Japanese colonial period, he continued the tradition of calligraphy and the spirit of a scholar, and his legacy is preserved today in the characters left on rocks across the region.

Jeongeup City Museum has long been researching and presenting historical materials related to local history, notable figures, and everyday culture of the area through exhibitions. This exhibition is significant in that it gathers previously scattered materials related to Kim Seokgon in one place and examines his life and art comprehensively for the first time.

Lee Haksoo, Mayor of Jeongeup, stated, "I hope this exhibition becomes an opportunity for a renewed understanding of the life and art left by Dongcho Kim Seokgon," adding, "I also expect it will encourage people to reconsider the value of regional cultural heritage that remains around us."

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