Korea, US museums team up to promote Joseon

From left: Chung Yong-jae, director of the National Palace Museum of Korea, Christoph Heinrich, director of the Denver Art Museum, Sooa Im McCormick, a curator at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Jeon Seung-chang, director of the Amorepacific Museum of Art, and Kang Myong-ho, chief curator of the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum, pose during a ceremony at the National Palace Museum of Korea on Friday. (NPMK)

The National Palace Museum of Korea has joined forces with local and US museums to raise awareness of the Joseon era (1392-1910) in a three-year renewable deal focusing on joint exhibitions and research on the topic.

The Joseon Dynasty Heritage Project involves the state-run NPMK, the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum and Amorepacific Museum of Art, as well as two US museums, the Denver Art Museum and Cleveland Museum of Art.

“The aim is to establish a cooperative relationship between the institutions in relation to the exhibitions, research and utilization of cultural heritage from the Joseon royal court,” the NPMK said in a statement Tuesday, referring to a memorandum of understanding inked last week at the Seoul-based museum.

International and local audiences are the target of the joint project, according to a senior NPMK official, who noted joint exhibitions will take place in both countries. Field trips to the royal kilns in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, will also be arranged with lectures and books to follow, highlighting key Joseon heritage, the official added.

Details on how the five museums will flesh out the agreement -- renewable once it expires at the end of 2027 -- will be discussed soon, according to the official.

The National Palace Museum of Korea is known for its Joseon royal collections spanning from royal seals to books to signboards.

By Choi Si-young(siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)