KOREAN ART TO BE ON DISPLAY

The University Museum at Southeast Missouri State University will present a touring exhibition of metal and fiber art work by contemporary Korean artists and craftsmakers.

The opening reception will be held from 4-6 p.m. today in the University Museum at Memorial Hall. The public is invited to attend. There is no charge. The exhibit will be on view from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday until June 22.

The "Land of Morning Calm" exhibition consists of recent pieces chosen specifically for the touring show. This exhibition contains over 50 works, including small jewelry of precious metals and large fabric wall hangings.

A variety of techniques and materials, such as felt, cotton, copper, silver, stone, gold leather and silk, have been used to create the pieces. Some of the works are sculptural in form and some are two dimensional weavings. Color, texture and strong design are important elements of the show.

The exhibit reflects a combination of traditional and contemporary influences as well as a synthesis of Eastern and Western culture. Some of the artists received their training in the United States and returned to Korea to practice their art and to teach.

When the exhibition tour has been concluded, the "Land of Morning Calm" will be returned to the National Museum of Modern Art in Seoul, Korea, for a concluding exhibition.

The exhibit was organized by Joel S. Eide, director of the Northern Arizona University Art Museum and Galleries, in cooperation with Paulette Myers, associate professor of art at Southern Illinois University, and with assistance from the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul.

Artists participating in the exhibit were selected by Michael Monroe, curator of the Renwick Gallery National Museum of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Local support of the exhibition comes from the University Museum and the College of Liberal Arts at Southeast. A number of local businesses and community members have made donations to support this exhibit.