On a Narrow Fan, Hangeul Found Greater Freedom... Yeongin Literature Museum's 'Hangeul Calligraphy and Painting Fan Exhibition'

Held Throughout October to Mark the 100th Anniversary of Hangeul Day
Fans by Notables Such as Kim Sangok, Park Wansuh, Oh Junghee, Jo Jeongrae, and Kim Byungjong All in One Place

The fan is an oddly narrow canvas for inscribing text. Moreover, it is difficult to adhere to a set form when placing Korean sentences of variable length onto its surface. Yet, these very constraints transform Hangeul into a kind of artwork. By altering the size of the characters, twisting the lines, and leaving empty spaces, words shift from being something to read to something to see.

A poster for the 'Hangeul Calligraphy Fan Exhibition' organized by Yeongin Literature Museum to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Hangeul Day. The exhibition will be held from October 1 to 31 at Yeongin Literature Museum in Jongno-gu, Seoul, showcasing fans decorated with Hangeul and paintings by writers and calligraphers. Yeongin Literature Museum

On September 21, Yeongin Literature Museum announced that it will host the 'Hangeul Calligraphy and Painting Fan Exhibition' from October 1 to 31 at its location in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Hangeul Day. The exhibition features selected Hangeul-themed calligraphic fans from the museum's collection of folding fans and round fans, examining the design and compositional methods produced when Hangeul is confined within the limited surface of a fan.

The exhibition's focus goes beyond 'well-written calligraphy.' The Yeongin Literature Museum collection includes works that adhere to traditional fan-painting methods, as well as pieces that break away from established structures and make free use of space. Writers who are not professional calligraphers used not only brushes but also ballpoint pens and felt-tip pens. Rather than following prescribed calligraphic rules, each individual's choice of sentences and unique touch determined the final appearance.

At the heart of the exhibition is a large fan created in 2002 by sijo poet Kim Sangok, known as Chojung. He filled almost the entire surface of the fan with prose, weaving in his own theory of poetry by drawing on works from four of his favorite poets. He combined seals, varying letter thickness, and irregular empty spaces into a single composition. Kim Sangok described this work as a kind of "bancha-do," depicting a poetry gathering among figures such as Chusa, Midang, Solgeo, and Cheongma. In other words, it is a work where calligraphy creates imagery.

Novelist Oh Junghee's fan is similar yet distinct. Filling a small fan densely with pen, she left the center empty, creating an unexpected void. Song Yeong scattered thin letters across the entire fan surface like flower petals, while Kim Danhee interpreted Cho Jihun’s "Seungmu" and Jeong Jiyong’s "Yurichang" in a style different from conventional calligraphy. In artist Kim Byungjong’s piece, painting and writing are closely intertwined within a single plane.

Just the list of names feels as if it unrolls a chapter of modern Korean literary history: Poets such as Kim Namjo, Ko Un, Kim Jiha, Lee Geunbae, Jeong Jingyu, and Jeong Hyeonjong; novelists including Park Hwaseong, Choi Jeonghee, Park Kyungni, Park Wansuh, Han Malsuk, Oh Junghee, Song Yeong, and Jo Jeongrae; and calligraphers and artists such as Lee Jongsang, Kim Byungjong, and Kim Danhee are featured. Also on display are a fan combining writing by Park Wansuh and painting by Kim Jeomseon, a collaborative work with text by Seo Jeongju and artwork by Lee Jongsang, and a joint piece by Lee Oryeong, Lee Seokjo, and Lee Jongsang.

Ultimately, this exhibition shifts the question about Hangeul from ‘what does it record?’ to ‘how does it appear?’ The shades of ink, the size of the letters, the spacing between lines and blank spaces, and the interplay with artwork each create a unique visual effect. In this way, Hangeul traverses the boundaries between literature, calligraphy, and painting. That is why a single small fan can simultaneously be an essay and a painting.

During the exhibition period, a "Meet the Artists" event will be held every Saturday at 2 p.m. On October 10, Kang In-sook, director of Yeongin Literature Museum, will present a lecture titled "The Beauty of Korean Archaic Language." On October 24, Kwon Jaeil, director of the Korean Language Society, will speak on "100 Years of Gaganal—Revisiting Hangeul." On October 31, cultural psychologist Kim Jungwoon will give a lecture themed "Why Lee Oryeong?" Lectures require prior reservation. The exhibition hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

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