2013 Sulwha Cultural Exhibition The Power of Arrows

Museok Kwon was born and raised in Yecheon, Gyeongbok to the Andong Kwons (The Chumil Clan) - a family that has been creating the bows and arrows since the 11th generation Gaehwang Kwon. Kwon’s adolescent years, in fact, were far from the bows. “The bows will see the end with my generation.” were the words of his elderly brother. Master Kwon thought it to be confusing and strange that his brother would say this as he himself was a bow artist and continued the family business. Master Kwon first grabbed the bow at 37 years of age--an age considered late to undertake the craft. Today, past 70 years of age, Kwon is still crafting the traditional bow and horn bow. Kwon is truly a respectable patriarch of our generation.

Yoonkyung Kim crafts traditional bows and horn bows. His father was the late Pakyoung Kim – the 47th Important Intangible Cultural Asset of the Bow and Arrow. Master Kim grew up observing his father’s work; however, was never particularly inspired by the art. After the death of his father’s protégé, Kwon started assisting his father. Never having done the actual work, he was surprised to realize how accustomed he was to the craft. Kim proclaims that in lieu of merely achieving accomplishments as an artisan of bows and arrows, he aspires and is committed to the progress of the art form. Currently, Kim manages and leads the traditionally inherited culture of the traditional bows.

Youngki Yoo (father)--the master artisan of the bow and arrow--is originally from the Jangdan District of North Korea. The Jangdan District has always been renowned for the exceptional craftsmanship of the bow and arrow. Although Jangdan is no longer accessible to father or son due to the separation of the Koreas, the outstanding tradition of Jangdan’s bow and arrow was passed down from his father and is currently accustomed to his son. The son that inherited his father’s work and the grandson that is continuing the legacy is as natural as the flow of water.
Despite the initial disapproval from his father, Saehyun Yoo--the Master Yoo’s apprentice and also the son--continues the family’s legacy. His father tried to dissuade him, explaining that it would be difficult to earn a living from the craft as the world has changed. However, Kim convinced his father that as the world is no longer the same, it is more of a reason to put more effort and research into the traditional bow and arrow. Like father like son, Kim believes that the diverse culture of the traditional bow and arrow should not be left in half. It obviously runs in their blood.

The delicate movement of the hands and the wrinkles yielded through such movements emanate a peculiar impression. It is obviously the hand of an elderly man, but is full of tenacious energy. Kim’s facial expression exudes a stern stare and his hands--that have been crafting bow and arrows for over half a century--reveal the life of a master artisan. Although the world has changed immensely from his youth to his grey-haired elderly self, he remains unchanged. Kim devotes his life in protecting and preserving the tradition (bow and arrow) of traditions, believing that life begins at 60.

The invisible and the unknown contribute to anxiety and trigger the endless imaginations of humans. Ultimately, people begin to believe these perceptions are real as though they actually exist in life. Chunwook Park voiced that such perceived notions and beliefs create futile burdens--like the indefinite misery and disturbances incurred due to undetermined, unseasoned occurrences such as death. Park only believes in things that are visible to the eye and expressed that things that are not visible are tentative. However, even the conspicuous and prevalent things sometimes feel unfamiliar. In that particular moment, one’s existence and life becomes questionable. Park finds the solutions through his sculptures and sees, feels, and senses his work as it is “real and genuine” to him. In Park’s sculptures, we are able to experience his "genuineness" through what he is able to perceive.

Shanghai based photographer Da Yuan Hu, originally majored in art. While attending university, Hu was influenced by his teacher--who often employed conceptual photography techniques for his creative work--that naturally stirred his interest in photography. Work-wise, Hu usually takes photographs of various products, spaces, and commercial images for magazines. During his residence in an artist’s complex, Hu collaborated with other artists to develop an array of creative activities with no particular objectives. Hu ate with the other artists every day and they frequented each other’s studios to provoke inspiration. Such bondage and network between artists led Hu to further appreciate and enjoy photography. Consequently, Hu’s camera lens is full of curiosity and his keen sense of artistry traverses without a sound.

“Nameless Architecture” does not literally denote that the designers are nameless. Eunjoong Na and Sorae Lee--the two designers of “Nameless Architecture”--believe that they can spark more interest when their names remain anonymous. Na and Lee devote their utmost attention to the contemporary characteristics of the world--the areas with infinite possibilities and opportunities. The designers do not dwell on structure nor design. Instead, they believe that the architecture serves as a medium to establish relations with the world by actively interacting through the arts, studying the phenomena of society, and engaging in cultural exchanges. Na and Lee are eccentric yet amusing explorers that have molded their beliefs within numerous relationships and showcased their new ambitions through the story of architecture.

Rather than flaunting ostentatious trends, Byungjun Koo undoubtedly aspires to design products with preserved integrity that become more significant after a prolonged period. Koo aims to produce a design with a story that may be cherished for generations to come. The design does not necessarily have to be expensive or dramatically transform a life. Koo finds a complete satisfaction merely designing a product that one finds meaningful even after the passing of time. He strives to become a designer that can take a responsibility for his designs and emanate inspiration. This is the designer’s mindset that Koo acknowledges and pursues.

Jihoon Ha follows texture. Raw material, form, space and everything that exists in the world has its individual texture of uniqueness. Ha voiced that complying with the texture will ultimately result in a natural and sophisticated design. As Ha’s designs begin with the perception of the fundaments, he concentrates more on subtracting rather than adding. He aims to create designs where only the key elements remain. Nevertheless, the furniture Ha designed features a unique, peculiar design--the combined concept of the simple and modern Northern European style and Korean sentiments--that ultimately induced rippling sensations. Deeply sympathizing in contemporary aesthetics, the Designer Jihoon Ha’s texture shares the interactive exchange and we respond to that interaction in a sequence. Amidst this, Ha’s designs are all of beautiful texture.