Pojagi, from folk art to contemporary art

It is not unusual for us to use everyday objects without really seeing them. This was certainly the case with pojagi, a Korean traditional wrapping cloth used in Korea for many generations in weddings and religious ceremonies, and for a variety of household coverings. It was not until 1983, when Dr. Hur Dong-Wha, Director of the Korean Embroidery Museum, put the traditional pojagi pieces he had collected for over thirty years on display at the National Folk Art Museum that Koreans were reawakened to their beauty. Pojagi became known internationally when Dr. Hur went on to exhibit his collections in major cities around the world. Since the beginning of 1990, pojagi-making has actively been introduced and learned by many people around the world through art university courses, workshops, and international textile conferences. Since I introduced pojagi in my Pojagi & Beyond course at the Rhode Island School of Design’s Textile Department in 1999, pojagi has rapidly become a strong design resource while creating artistic crossroads for artists and students of diverse majors and backgrounds. The small wrapping cloths took on new dimensions as sculptures, installations, wearable arts, and functional items such as pouches, back packs, picnic blankets and more. I will introduce works by students of RISD as well as earlier works by twenty-four American artists who entered the Pojagi and Beyond, Special Show in conjunction with the 2007 Cheongju International Craft Biennale. The show explores how different inspirations and interpretations bring forth individual creativity on the crossroad called Korean pojagi tradition.