The Korea Times
For more than a century, the defining characteristic of "najeonchilgi" — Korea’s traditional mother-of-pearl lacquerware — has been its ability to capture light. Thinly sliced, iridescent shells are inlaid into dark lacquer, creating intricate landscapes and geometric patterns that shimmer with a quiet, fractured glow. Now, this meticulously demanding craft is stepping into the spotlight in Japan, a neighbor with its own deeply rooted lacquer traditions, in a major exhibition exploring the shared history and modern evolution of the art form. The Seoul Museum of Craft Art said Friday that its traveling exhibition, “The Design Room of Master Najeon Artisans,” opened Thursday at the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo. Running through Aug. 8 before moving to Osaka, the showcase features 110 objects, including finished masterpieces and, crucially, the rare design blueprints that guided the artisans' hands. By pairing original ink drawings with the completed lacquerware, the exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the intellectual labor behind the craft. It features seminal 20th-century
Go to News Site