Hanji: Embracing Color featuring works by artist Lee Seung-chul
Hanji: Embracing Color presents the vibrant, tactile work of Korean artist Lee Seung-chul alongside historical examples of hanji, traditional Korean paper. The exhibition examines hanji as both an artistic medium and an enduring cultural material, highlighting its use in writing, architecture, handicrafts, painting, preservation, furniture, and everyday objects.
Lee’s sculptures and textile works draw on Korean cultural forms such as Buddhist figures, moon jars, and bojagi wrapping cloths. His use of plant- and mineral-based natural dyes brings out a rich Korean color palette without concealing hanji’s distinctive texture and physical qualities. The exhibition also includes collected hanji relics, including books and official documents dating to Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, giving visitors a broader view of the material’s history and cultural importance.
The works reflect Lee’s more than 40 years of research into hanji, natural dyes, conservation, and color reconstruction. Rather than copying traditional forms, he reinterprets them through a contemporary visual language, exploring ideas of memory, preservation, loss, continuity, and the way natural materials change over time. His research and presentations have included international institutions and forums such as the Cité internationale des arts in Paris, the Louvre Museum, ICPAL in Rome, the Vatican Museums, and Fabriano in Italy.
When: August 20–November 20, 2026
Pre-opening reception: Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.; registration is required
Reception program: Brief remarks by featured artist Lee Seung-chul followed by a self-guided tour of the exhibition
Featured artist: Lee Seung-chul
Works and materials: Hanji sculptures, natural-dye works, bojagi textiles, historical hanji books and official papers, and other hanji relics collected by Lee Seung-chul. Featured forms include Buddhist sculptures, multicolored moon jars, fragments inspired by bandaji chest furniture, and works incorporating fabric, gold leaf, and lacquer.
Artist background: Lee Seung-chul has researched hanji and traditional natural dyeing for more than 40 years, investigating the material qualities, color changes, durability, and passage of time associated with natural materials.
Venue: Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C., 2370 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Tickets: Price not available