Looking at the life of the Asian nations through trees

The exhibition introduces about 40 wooden lacquer crafts selected from the collection of ethnic sculptures which had been donated by Kaneko Kazushige, director of Japan’s Institute of Asian Ethno-Forms and Culture. Born in 1926, he has devoted his whole life to conducting his research as well as collecting ethnic works on the history and life of various Asian nations.

It introduces not only the historical background of the relics ranging from the Southeast Asian countries including Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand to Northeast Asian countries including Nepal, Tibet, and China, but also interesting and amazing stories about them.

The relics show the outstanding artistic value of Asians

The exhibition is classified in two sub-themes. The first one is ‘Asians with the Trees’. The wooden plates which were used for leading a better life, the artistic works which reflect the inner world of the Asians who wanted to resemble the rich nature, and the unique wooden objects which show the Asian lacquer-ware culture are displayed. The second theme is ‘Faith and Religions in the Trees’. Diverse religions including folk beliefs based on the nature, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam coexist in the Asian culture. It deals with stories that many different gods had protected people right beside them in different figures depending on times and regions.

This shield was from Iban tribe which was famous for ‘human hunting’. The human hunting used to be one of the conditions for marriage among Iban and Dayak tribes. And it was a sort of rite of passage that every young man had to undergo in order to become a real man.

Although we are not living in the same period with the old Asians, we have been sharing the same space and stories with them through the nature and trees. Weekend is coming. Let’s put down the TV remote, and hold our family’s hands. And go to the exhibition to listen to them! The exhibition will continue at the National Museum of Korea until July 1.

Written by Park Jeonghee & Photographs from National Museum of Korea