Private collection of purported Goryeo-era celadon pieces goes on exhibition

A celadon ring with a carved lotus design (Oia)

The exhibition “Oia: Zen and Celadon of Goryeo” has kicked off Friday at the Dohwaseogil Culture Complex Center in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, presenting some 200 celadon pieces estimated to be from the Goryeo era (918-1392) collected by pottery collector Ju Jae-yoon.

Running through July 20, the exhibition is accompanied by a meditation gallery that shows media artwork by Choi Min-seok under the theme of growth and meditation, offering a time for visitors to seek inner peace. The digital artwork is on display in the basement of the gallery, incorporated with an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) experience to maximize auditory stimulation.

The jade green celadon pieces shown at the exhibition include a celadon incense burner, a celadon tall-necked bottle with an incised design and a celadon ring with carved lotus designs thought to have been created in the Goryeo era.

The exhibition is jointly organized by Asia Pacific Culture Unions and The Korea Herald, and is supported by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest Buddhist order in South Korea. Exhibition tickets can be purchased online or at the exhibition site.

Goryeo celadon ware was first produced between the late 9th and early 10th century and reached its pinnacle in the 12th century. The celadon pieces from that era, however, noticeably diminished in the wake of war with Mongol forces in the 13th century, according to the National Museum of Korea.

By Korea Herald(khnews@heraldcorp.com)