Some of the world’s most soul-stirring art was created by talented artists whose names we will never know. Religious art rendered in the throes of spiritual ecstasy, folk art lovingly made to bless and protect, and practical craft items that are sometimes so creatively designed that one would have to be blind to not see their artistic value.
Unfortunately, there have been some people who were so prejudiced against craft that they believed if they wore something, drank from it, or otherwise used it in any way, it could not be fully realized art. Thankfully, that attitude is changing. But today’s growing appreciation of the artistry in artisanry has come too late for the past creators who did not or were not allowed to attach their names to their creations. It is not a figurative expression to say they “slaved away at their work,” as many of them were literally slaves. And there were just as many artists who, for centuries, lived under the designation that was just one rank above slave: that is, women.
Women were not allowed access to brushes and canvases to paint, nor bronze to sculpt. If you were a creative female, you had to work with the material left to you. That could be clay, but more often it was textile. As we so frequently see in history, when artists are oppressed, their creative energy will explode through the portals to which they are limited. For example, artists who had only turntables and microphones with which to express their musical ideas created hip hop, arguably one of the most important breakthroughs in popular culture.
We see this same explosion in Korean textile art, bursting with color, creativity, artistic sensibility, and unmatched energy. Whether it is bojagi patchwork with its Mondrian-like geometrics that predate Mondrian, or embroidery masterpieces painted with a needle, or norigae knotwork preserving the meaning of symbolism that may have otherwise been lost, or creative weaving that extends beyond cloth to include bamboo and even paper, there is an endless ouvre of beautiful Korean art created by nameless women.
Fortunately, today’s female artists who have chosen textile for their medium of expression are no longer anonymous. Much of this is thanks to organizations that have worked over the decades to correct this historical neglect. One such group whose accomplishments are to be admired is the Korea Bojagi Forum, founded by Fulbright Scholar Chunghie Lee.
Ms. Lee has been organizing international symposiums, exhibitions and events for many years. Her mission is to spread appreciation of Korean culture through bojagi and the other textile arts of Korea. She has extensive experience as an international educator, having held teaching positions in America, Korea and Finland. The long list of major museums that have her works in their permanent collections reads like a catalog of the world’s greatest art institutions.
If your travels take you to the Boston area over the next month, please don’t miss the opportunity to view her stunning artwork and have your mind opened by her scholarship at her solo exhibition at the Lexington Arts and Craft Society from November 8 to the 23rd. Celebrate the beauty of Chunghie Lee’s creations while you reckon with the issues of women’s rights she so poignantly addresses.
Just a few days ago, Japan appointed its first female prime minister. And just a few weeks ago, Korea assigned its first female ambassador to the United States of America, Kang Kyung-wha. Of course, we still have a long way to go to reach full representation for women. But these developments are a great sign of progress. Let’s keep moving in that direction, because we all benefit from having more women in positions of power, not only in government and business, but also in the arts.
Robert Turley is an independent researcher and Director of the Korean Art Society (www.koreanartsociety.com) in New York.