Taylor, Paul Michael and Kwon, Myoung-won,. 2018. Han'gŭl ŭl kŭrida : Sejong Taewang chŭgwi 600-chunyŏn kinyŏm = A Korean-American Pioneer of Art: The Calligrapher Mook Jae and his Homelands [Exhibition catalog] Seoul, Korea: National Hangeul Museum.
This 2018 exhibition of calligraphic works by the Korean-American artist Kwon Myoung-won (whose "artist's name" is Mook Jae), held at Seoul's National Hangeul Museum, allows the work of this expressive and innovative American artist to be seen and enjoyed in his other homeland, Korea. The themes of home and homeland, and of a single person's multiple homes, infuse this art -- as does the theme of being a "pioneer." Many of the artist's works directly call forth images of his two homelands; including of course the artist's prominent display of the two countries' symbols within his "Flag of Korea" and "Flag of the United States of America" within this exhibition. The colors of the flag itself are made from the Hangeul spelling of inspirational themes that these two nations inspire. The red color of the Korean flag is made by repetition of the Hangeul spelling of the word for "high and noble"; the blue component is made of repeated spellings of the word "hope." The white background and calligraphy have text also in white within them, repeated spellings of the Korean word for "peace." The importance of "peace" as an inspirational concept and goal can be found as well within Mook Jae's depiction of the American flag. The blue and the stars again repeat the word for "peace." Red, often considered the color of sacrifice and blood, appropriately here is produced by repetitions of the Hangeul spelling of the Korean word for "freedom." The calligrapher's homage to the poem "A Different Home Land" seems especially appropriate for this artist who is both a Korean citizen and a longtime American resident. The well-known Korean poem that inspired this work recognizes the multiple homes a person has -- the place where he was born, the dwelling where he lives, and his or her home in heaven that awaits. The calligrapher's references to his multiple homelands can thus also be seen through his choice of poetry to which he sets his calligraphy. American and other international readers, often unfamiliar with the term "artist's name," are interested to discover what many Koreans visiting this exhibition will already be aware of -- that Korean artists often sign artworks with a nom de plume or artist's name of their choosing. For international readers of this catalog, it should be mentioned that Mr. Kwon's artist's name Mook Jae derives from "mook" meaning the particular kind of ink he uses for his calligraphy, and "Jae" or "house" -- thus the name apparently refers to the house of this special ink. (This would be written "Muk-Je" in the post-2000 standard Romanization.) This seems to mean a house filled with the fragrance of this calligrapher's ink that he uses; thus perhaps metaphorically referring to a "house" (or even a body) that is filled with the activity or the skill for which this ink is used -- thus directly indicating the artist himself, who after all signs his name "Mook Jae." Mr. Kwon's calligraphy, done in the "hangeul" (or "hangul") writing system, is well known to audiences around greater Washington. D.C., including the nearby city of Silver Spring, Mayland, where he resides.
