In 1876,
the Joseon Dynasty opened its doors to the world. Ceasing the moment to sail
past Joseon’s closed-door policy, the Western Powers eagerly landed on shore.
Those who visited Joseon during this period each harbored their own ideologies
and aspirations, led by a sense of obligation. Naturally, the descriptions they
produced varied in accordance with their differing perspectives. In their
eyes, Joseon appeared to be a most intriguing society. The natural environment
was beautiful, and the people were living in harmony with the ecology. Certain
perspectives bore a more critical tone, misled by beliefs in Western
superiority and misinformation. Others, meanwhile, endeavored to present Joseon
to the world based on cultural relativism, ready to accept and embrace
difference. The
documentations, photographs, and moving images they left behind contain
detailed portraitures of Korea’s past. Also, they offer a wide spectrum of
Joseon’s tumultuous history, including the Imperial family’s attempt to declare
the country’s independent agency and actively adopt new cultural tides. In
particular, we can witness the last moments of Joseon’s traditional hat culture
through many records that commend the originality and uniqueness of the
head-ornaments in Joseon. This
exhibition marks the Coreana Cosmetics Museum’s 23rd special
exhibition. Its objective is to showcase modern Joseon’s culture through relics
that capture Joseon’s turbulent modernity, along with records left by
foreigners who visited during the period between the open-port declaration and
Joseon’s emancipation. The exhibition will serve as an opportunity to encounter
aspects of culture that we have remained unaware of, or have forgotten. Supported by Coreana Cosmetics, Co., Ltd.