Korea Fiber Art 2023, Louisville is a continuation of the Korea Fiber Art Biennale held in Suwon, South Korea in October, 2022. This exhibition presupposes all visual arts working in the language of fibers. Our goal is to break down the boundaries that have been ambiguous in the categories of craft and fine art to conceive fiber art as broad and diverse expressions. We strive to make this exhibition a festive venue that encompasses traditional and contemporary fiber arts, through fiber artisans, artists who have driven contemporary fiber art in Korea, and emerging artists who have immersed themselves in their works through fibers.

 

Together, the exhibitions include the works of 120 global artists. Through the theme “from birth to death,” participating artists were presented with the opportunity to rethink life. Fiber is a material that offers close experiences from the moment of birth to the finality of death. For example, saekdong jeogori, a traditional Korean striped top, and peony embroidered pillows, were made to pray for long life and prosperity. Jogakbo, a style of Korean patchwork, was

traditionally made with remnants from the creation of hanbok, traditional Korean clothing. Nubi, a form of Korean quilt-stitching using wool, was created to survive cold winters. All of these forms have been collected to represent the fiber art of Korea.

 

The efforts of exchanging inspiration between traditional fiber and contemporary artists have begun. Korea Fiber Art 2023, Louisville will be held at six galleries city-wide. We hope these exhibitions will be an opportunity to lead the revitalization of exploration and discourse in Korea and interact with the global fiber art community.

 

Moonhe Baik, Director

Korea Fiber Art Forum