A Celebration of Korean Culture and Art Kicks Off New Exhibit at the Wang Center

The Charles B. Wang Centerwas bursting with culture, creativity and enlightenment on March 9, as it celebrated the opening of its Spring 2026 exhibition, Sacred Paper: Korean Ritual Arts, on view through May 24.

Featuring music, dance, food and fun, the 'main event' was a look into how and why mulberry paper in Korea can be magically transformed into extraordinary works of art, important reminders of historical mysticism, significant parts of spiritual and ritual practices, as well as for everyday household uses. Through drawings, and through intricate cutting and precise folding.

Things kicked off in the Wang Center Theatre, where campus and local community members learned about the cultural context of the ubiquitous use of Korean paper from renowned expert and Museum of Natural History curator Laurel Kendall. She shared tantalizing examples of Korean paper art along with stories of shamans, funeral ceremonies, and ritual offerings to the Gods, saying, at one point, "These paper cuts, like the paper cuts you see out in the gallery, these invitations to the presence in the central Korean tradition, they're thin and evanescent. They're burned as a final act of cleansing at the end of the ritual unless, of course, they're scooped up and carefully preserved by a collector."

Kendall shared that her own fascination with this art form was sparked in the early 1970s when the aspiring anthropologist discovered that while women had a "difficult, secondary status" in South Korea, shaman rituals and principles elevated them to God-like status.

From there, campus faculty and staff who came as part of a special Club Red social event had the opportunity to experience Korean culture up close and personal while mingling with coworkers and friends in the Wang Center's Skylight Gallery. Acclaimed Korean paper artist Heera Shin presented a ritual segment from "Byeolsingut" dance-drama performance together with dancer Hyemi Park and janggu drummer Jiyong Jung.

"Byeolsingut is a village ritual from Korea's East Coast, performed to ensure communal peace, protection and prosperity," said Wang Center Director of Asian Art and Culture Jinyoung Jin. "The ritual space is traditionally decorated with colorful paper flowers offered to the deities, symbolizing prayers for well-being and good fortune."

Then came the live demonstrations, which were met with enthusiastic applause as very ordinary looking paper was transformed into inventive art. Specifically, the program introduced two regional Korean ritual paper traditions: Jongseung Park's paper-cutting practice from Chungcheong Province, and Shin's East Coast paper-flower tradition. These two acclaimed artists demonstrate how paper can be shaped into protective forms through precise cutting, layering and assembly. (Wang Center visitors will recognize Park's - and Yunjung Kim's - work in the large white paper installations prominently displayed on the first floor and mirrored in the reflecting pool below.)

Human Resource Services colleagues Racine Topaloglu and Younette Backer were among the many employees enjoying the festivities. Calling the Club Red event "a great opportunity to spend time with friends from work after a long day, and to talk to other people from all over the campus who we don't usually see a lot," Topaloglu said the drum dance performance was her favorite part. "The gentleman on the drum was so strong in his performance and the ladies were smiling while they were dancing. I was able to see that they are loving what they are doing, which I always love to watch. It was great."

Backer added, "My favorite part of the event was the camaraderie among colleagues. It was such a pleasure spending time together. We look forward to attending another great event in the future!"

About The Sacred Paper opening ceremony, Jin summed it up like this: "It is a rare opportunity for our community to experience these living Korean ritual traditions here at the Wang Center. You can see how paper, something so ordinary, becomes a powerful medium for prayer, protection and communal hope. Bringing these traditions to our campus allows audiences to encounter not only beautiful objects, but the living cultural practices that continue to sustain communities in Korea today."

The exhibition is curated by Jin and the Academic Center for K-Religions at Sogang University in Seoul and sponsored by the Academy of Korean studies grant.

- Ellen Cooke