Annyeonghaseyo students! Welcome to our third lesson of Arts 8 second quarter, Korean Art. The Korean Peninsula is found between two other East Asian countries, China and Japan. Korea shares a historical past with these two. Thus, the country has been very pivotal in the affairs of the region.
Although there is a continuous exchange of cultural and technical know-how among these three countries, Korea has been keen on retaining its identity by differentiating itself in terms of artistic and traditions. The peninsula broke into two separate countries, North Korea and South Korea, with each having a distinctive form of art and culture. South Korean art is primarily influenced by Confucian thought and Buddhist religious tenets, as reflected in various art forms that constitute its traditional art.
North Korea is more conservative and has been protective of the old ways. South Korea, on the other hand, has become more open in enriching its culture by welcoming innovations from foreign sources. It now boasts a rich, colorful, and textured artistic tradition. Early Koreans had a high regard for painting as one of the modes of artistic expression. Ancient Korean art is typically characterized by representations of tomb murals of Goguryeo made between 37 BC and 66 AD.
These tomb murals are a group of wall paintings characterized more by emotion of movement than by form of beauty. Outlines are bold and forceful to heighten the effect of movement and animation. Representation in these murals reflect how early Koreans viewed humanity in the entire universe, as well as how painters express artistic sensibilities.
The main preoccupation of the artists of Goguryeo was on Buddhist icons and great masterpieces in art. The artists of Jusyeon, on the other hand, were more interested in representing plants and animals as seen in art pieces such as Sagunja or the Four Noble Lords which refers to the combination of orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo, and plum tree. And the Sipjangsaeng also called the Ten Creatures of Longevity.
The artists of Juson were also into landscapes. Calligraphy in Korea is heavily influenced by China, where the handwriting technique originated. Korean artists, much like their Chinese counterparts, value elements such as lines and strokes.
The characters must be written in precise brush strokes as well as in corresponding shades of ink. As an art form, calligraphy is related to ink in wash painting because of the similarities in the techniques and tools used. such as paper, brush, ink stick, and ink stone. Korean architectural style is very naturalistic. It is also simple and parsimonious in terms of the use of shapes, and it is also devoid of extreme styling.
Buddhist temples in Korea are found in mountainous areas, and these temples provide opportunities to appreciate the surrounding scenic views. The structures in the temples must achieve a harmony with the natural surroundings. There are traces of foreign influences in the artistic style of Korean architecture. Korean artists use these influences in coming with innovations in Korean architecture.
For instance, Chinese roofs are sharply curved. but Korean architects design a more slooping roof. Korean art aims to achieve a quiet, inner harmony as opposed to loud shapes and colors in Chinese arts. For Koreans, Buddha statues are a familiar sight, a part of everyday life regardless of one's religion.
Korean Buddha statues are renowned for their balanced simplicity, exquisiteness of form, and their embodiment of peace and tranquility. Korean sculpture is primarily Buddhism-inspired. So there are many beautiful Buddhist temples erected in the mountains of Korea.
Temples have their own statue of Buddha. Koreans strongly revere Buddha so much that an image of him is carved even on large rocks in some mountains throughout the country. Buddha statues are common sights in Korea, regardless of the religion of the area.
Buddhism is well entrenched in Korean culture that Buddha statues carved by Korean sculptures are renowned for their simple design, exquisite form, and expression of harmony and tranquility. Pottery in Korea is categorized into the Jungja or blue-green celadon and Baikja or white porcelain and the bonchon or slip coated stoneware with decorative designs created using different techniques. Common to celadon pottery is a jade blue surface, the Korean inlay technique used to decorate the pottery items. Most porcelain wares have a milky white surface, with some designs painted over them in oxidized iron, copper, or the priceless cobalt blue pigment from Iran through China. Korean handicrafts were made for practical purposes.
Men and women employed techniques in making handicrafts to produce household items. Pieces of wooden furniture such as cabinets and tables were built. Aside from the functionality of these works, They also display a certain flair of Korean artistry that can be seen in balance and symmetry in the design of these pieces of furniture.
This balance and symmetry are also observed in other handmade items such as woven baskets, boxes, and mats made of bamboo and those made of ligumos plants such as wisteria and lesbida. Korean arts and crafts also include embroidery, decorative knot making, and natural dyeing. These are used to accentuate garments and household objects.
They are also used as ornaments for personal fashion. Korean gardens display a deep connection with nature in their original state. The typical Korean garden has features such as land, structures, flowers and trees, streams and ponds, rocks and walls, bridges and pathways. Harmony is strictly observed in using the spaces in a garden, so gardens are landscaped to highlight order and functionality. Gardens are places of solace, and Koreans...
go to these places to enjoy a sense of inner peace while communing with nature. Aside from the emotional and spiritual enjoyment from gardens, there is also a practical use for these spaces. Koreans can use them to grow fruits or medicinal herbs or turn them into playgrounds. Some visual artists also find inspiration for their art, when they are in these gardens. They are able to write beautiful poems or are able to be in a state of calmness when they meditate in these gardens.
Also popular in Korea are tea ceremonies held in tea houses. The houses display Korean architecture and are typically adorned by a Korean garden. while the ceremony is performed. The tea ceremony involves the use of Korean pottery and traditional Korean costumes.
These tea ceremony elements highlight a distinctive cultural and art Artistic Expression of Korean Traditional Art The tea ceremony in Korea is accentuated further by traditional flower arrangements called gutgezi. This floral arrangement embodies the artistic use of lines and spaces. Lines and spaces are used in harmony to achieve the yeobak.
or the balance between the negative and the positive, similar to the yin-yang. There is a space between flowers and branches to denote delicacy, airiness, and fragility. The lines on the other hand is emphasized through the natural curves of stems and branches, leaves and flowers, as well as how they are placed in a free-flowing, organic trajectory.
The finished floral arrangement can be appreciated by a viewer to achieve a reflective and peaceable state of mind. An iconic traditional attire in Korea is the hanbok, which was used to be worn daily up until 100 years ago. The handbook is a formal wear that is now used during festive occasions or special anniversaries, and thus, most Koreans keep a piece for their special use during their lifetime.
Despite the changes in its design over several generations, the handbook has remained a significant cultural piece, displaying graceful shapes and vibrant colors. Korean art adapted some of the aesthetic principles of Chinese and Japanese arts, hence the similarities in the motifs, styles, and designs of all three traditions. But this did not prevent Korean artists to develop their own style and techniques because in the heart of the Korean artistry is the regard for simple, spontaneous, and harmonious artistic expression.
And that ends our lesson for today all about Korean arts. Kamsamnida students for watching and I hope you learned something.