RECTIFYING HISTORICAL MISSTEPS - Korean Artifacts Exhibition in Germany
The Humboldt Forum in Berlin, Germany, has taken a significant step in addressing inaccuracies in its special exhibition of Korean artifacts, titled "Ari-Arirang." The National Museum of Korea revealed on Monday that the museum had removed certain pieces from the exhibition in response to reports of erroneous information. The "Ari-Arirang" exhibition was designed to commemorate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Germany while introducing Korean traditions and culture. The exhibition, which opened on October 12, 2023, is scheduled to run until April 21, 2024.
The exhibition features approximately 120 items out of the vast collection of 1,800 Korean artifacts and photos held by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. These artifacts, dating primarily from the 14th to the early 20th century, were primarily collected by Germans and offer insights into Korean culture and history.
One artifact that faced removal was a photograph titled "Water Bearer" from the Joseon era. This photograph depicted a woman carrying a jar on her head with exposed breasts. Initially, it was attributed to Adolf Fischer, believed to have taken the photo during his visit to Korea in 1905 while working at the German Embassy in Beijing. However, further research suggested that the photo was more likely taken by a Japanese photographer and had been in circulation as early as the mid-1890s. It was later featured in an album of Korean customs and landscapes published by the Japanese-run Gyeongseong Photo Studio in 1907, according to the National Museum of Korea. The accompanying caption at the exhibition inaccurately stated that lower-class women revealed their nursing breasts as a symbol of pride for giving birth to sons during the mid-Joseon era. The removal of this artifact was prompted by concerns raised by Kim Kyung-hyup, a member of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, who highlighted the inaccuracies in the German museum's exhibition during the parliamentary audit of the Korean Embassy in Germany. Kim pointed out that the exhibition's explanation perpetuated a perception of Joseon culture as "inferior" and "uncivilized," aligning with Japan's intentions during the time of its circulation.
Another artifact that was initially presented as a Korean hairpin from the early 20th century was removed as well. It turned out to be a traditional Japanese women's hair accessory known as "kanzashi." Several other Korean artifacts in the exhibition were found to have incorrect information, as reported by Korean media.
The "Ari-Arirang" exhibition is part of an initiative that the Culture Ministry of Korea undertook in December 2021. The ministry entered into a three-year agreement with the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation to support the Korean gallery at the museum, providing 480,000 euros ($507,000) for the project.
In March, the Humboldt Forum sent a partial list of artifact information to the National Museum of Korea and the Korean Cultural Center in Germany for review. However, not all information was provided at the time. For example, the photo of the woman with the jar and the Japanese hairpin were not included in the list received in March. The National Museum of Korea was only able to obtain the photos of the artifacts and their captions after the exhibition opened, thanks to the Korean Cultural Center in Germany.
The National Museum of Korea is currently reviewing 16 pieces, with the possibility of additional corrections. The suggested revisions will be delivered to the Humboldt Forum shortly, indicating a commitment to rectifying historical inaccuracies in the exhibition.
출처 : 스피쿠스
기사 제목: 독일의 한국 유물 전시회에서 역사적 오류 수정"
베를린의 훔볼트 포럼에서 열린 한국 유물 전시회 '아리-아리랑'에서, 잘못된 정보를 담은 유물들을 제거하는 중요한 조치를 취했습니다. 이 전시는 한국과 독일의 외교 관계 140주년을 기념하며 한국의 전통과 문화를 소개하는 목적으로, 2023년 10월 12일에 시작하여 2024년 4월 21일까지 진행됩니다. 이 전시는 프로이센 문화 유산 재단이 보유한 1,800개의 한국 유물 및 사진 중 약 120개를 선보입니다. 오류가 발견된 유물들 중 하나는 '수반을 지고 있는 여인'이라는 조선 시대의 사진으로, 나중에 일본 사진작가가 촬영한 것으로 밝혀졌습니다. 또한, 조선 시대의 머리핀으로 잘못 소개된 전통 일본 여성의 머리장식 '칸자시'도 제거되었습니다. 한국 국립중앙박물관은 이 전시의 16점을 검토 중이며, 훔볼트 포럼에 수정을 제안할 예정입니다.
단어 학습:
- Exhibition (전시회)
- Korean: 전시회는 예술 작품, 유물 등을 공개적으로 보여주는 행사입니다.
- Example: "The art exhibition displayed an impressive collection of modern paintings."
- Artifact (유물)
- Korean: 유물은 역사적, 문화적 가치가 있는 오래된 물건입니다.
- Example: "The museum's new section is dedicated to artifacts from ancient civilizations."
- Diplomatic relations (외교 관계)
- Korean: 외교 관계는 두 나라 사이의 공식적인 국가 관계를 의미합니다.
- Example: "The two countries celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations with a joint cultural festival."
- Joseon era (조선 시대)
- Korean: 조선 시대는 한국 역사에서 1392년부터 1910년까지 이어진 시대를 말합니다.
- Example: "The painting from the Joseon era depicts a traditional Korean village."
- Inaccuracy (부정확함)
- Korean: 부정확함은 사실과 다르거나 오류가 있는 상태를 의미합니다.
- Example: "The historical drama faced criticism for its inaccuracy in portraying historical events."
영어 표현:
- Rectifying Historical Missteps (역사적 오류 바로잡기)
- Example: "The government initiated a project for rectifying historical missteps by revising school textbooks to include more accurate historical facts."
- Cultural Heritage Foundation (문화 유산 재단)
- Example: "The Cultural Heritage Foundation organized an exhibition to showcase artifacts from various ancient civilizations."
