The Korean Cultural Centre Canada (KCC) and the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) are presenting a unique touring exhibition titled "The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans," running from Thursday, October 23 to Friday, December 12, 2025. This special exhibition is organized as part of the Touring K-Arts Project, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and administration by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE).

The exhibition focuses on the theme of "Mother-of-Pearl through Drawings," highlighting najeon designs—the intricate drawings that serve as blueprints for the complex patterns created by cutting and inlaying pieces of shell. Featuring more than 100 works, the exhibition brings together rare designs and masterpieces by master artisans of the modern era alongside new creations by contemporary artists, offering visitors a unique perspective on the enduring beauty and innovation of Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware.

The exhibition will be held at the Korean Cultural Centre Canada, located at 150 Elgin St 101, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4, with an opening reception scheduled for October 23, 2025, at 5:30 PM Eastern Time. No registration is required for the opening event. Featured artists include renowned masters JEON Seong-gyu, KIM Bong-ryong, SONG Joo-an, SHIM Bu-gil, MIN Jong-tae, KIM Tae-hee, KIM Sung-soo, SONG Bang-ung, LEE Hyeong-man, SOHN Dae-hyeon, CHOI Sang-hoon, and KIM Seol.

The exhibition specifically highlights the work of six Najeonjang (master artisans of mother-of-pearl inlay), led by JEON Seong-gyu, who pioneered the modernization of Najeon (mother-of-pearl) art. The other five masters—KIM Bong-ryong, SONG Joo-an, SHIM Bu-gil, MIN Jong-tae, and KIM Tae-hee—were influenced by JEON but developed their own distinct styles, with the exhibition focusing particularly on their Doan (圖案, drawings).

Najeonchilgi (mother-of-pearl lacquerware) represents a Korean traditional craft that has continued for over a thousand years since the Goryeo period. This intricate art form involves inlaying thinly sliced abalone or turban shell onto the surfaces of objects, completed through repeated coatings of Ottchil (Korean lacquer). The doan functions not only as a blueprint for laying out designs but also as a vital component that shapes the visual language of the artwork.

More than just a design template, the doan embodies cultural knowledge, aesthetic ideals, and symbolism of its time period, while also revealing each artist's philosophy, sensibility, and lived experiences. Until the early 20th century, artisans used relatively unsophisticated forms of doan. Starting from the 1920s, artisans began adopting more modern methods—drawing doan on paper and then using them as templates for applying mother-of-pearl inlays.

This modernization led to greater efficiency and enabled mass production, marking a significant turning point in the craft's evolution. The exhibition introduces the pioneering artisans who spearheaded these transformative changes and presents works by next-generation artisans who continue to carry on the tradition today. JUNG Eun-joo, Curator at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art, invites visitors to examine the journey from doan to finished objects, taking a close look at the masters' challenges, experimentation, and the enduring spirit of craftsmanship embedded in their creative process.