‘Irworobongdo Silver Tea Ware’ translates a royal painting motif into contemporary metalwork

Metal artist Moon Jeong-un has received the Presidential Prize, the highest honour at the 56th Korea Crafts Competition, for “Irworobongdo Silver Tea Ware.”

The Korea Heritage Service and the Korea Federation of Handicrafts Cooperatives announced the winners on Oct. 29. A total of 231 works were selected through regional preliminaries and a final judging process involving entries from 16 cities and provinces.

Moon’s work reinterprets Irworobongdo, a traditional court painting depicting the sun, moon, five mountain peaks, pine trees and flowing water. The composition, frequently placed behind the royal throne during the Joseon dynasty, represented the order and permanence of the cosmos as well as royal authority.

The artist translated its symbolic landscape into a set of contemporary tea utensils made with silver, red copper and brass and finished with lacquer.

Moon said the sun, moon and five peaks in the original painting signify cosmic order and eternity. The work was intended to connect the brief act of drinking tea with the longer passage of human life.

The Prime Minister’s Prize went to Eom Young-min for “A Beautiful Tea Setting.” Made from red copper, pure silver and wood, the work combines a teapot and cups with small vases and frames. Its arrangement depicts people sharing tea and expressing gratitude to one another.

Four works received Korea Heritage Service Administrator’s Prizes. They include Kim Kyung-hee’s horsehair container “Next: Containing,” Jeon Ye-seul’s series of celadon and white porcelain bottles, cups and storage cases, Park Yong-su’s tea set “A Day of Queen Heo” and Han Suk-nam’s room divider made from hand-spun silk and undyed ramie.

The awards ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on Nov. 6 at Culture Factory in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

All 231 prize-winning works will be displayed in Galleries 3 and 5 at Culture Factory from Nov. 6 to 8. The exhibition will range from works based on traditional materials and imagery to contemporary objects designed for everyday use.

A sales section featuring crafts from the participating regions and an open market for works by individual artists and craft businesses will also operate during the event. Admission is free.

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Jason Yim yimjongho1969@gmail.com