Special Exhibition on the Donated Collection by Lee Byung Chan 'Dyed Nature'
The National Folk Museum of Korea researched the 30 years of a dye specialist, Lee Byung Chan's life devoted to dye, as a part of the study of contemporary vocations in 2012. The result of the research was published and various materials, works and tools used in dye experiment were donated by Lee Byung Chan. This exhibition introduces the life of a dye specialist who sought for our distinct colors from ingredients of dye found in our nature as well as the process and results of dye, centering on the donated collection by Lee Byung Chan. The exhibition consists of 3 parts, the part 1 'Color, permeates (introduction to dyeing)', the part 2 'Color, contains (Finding local colors), and the part 3 'Color, radiates (Revealing local colors). Also, a reproduced dye workshop in the exhibition space allows experiencing the dye process by Lee Byung Chan. As a record of a dye specialist's half of a lifetime research for local colors, the exhibition hopes to shed some light on those who wishes to find our colors.
色. 스며들다 Color, permeates
The part 1 introduces the background and process of how Lee Byung Chan came to study dyeing. Born in Tianjin, China in 1932, Lee came to Korea at the age 14 and by starting his social life early; he naturally became a dye specialist with an interest in antique art. At the retirement age, as he came across colors in museum objects, he decided to study dyeing with intent to recreate local colors in 1982. He won the presidential price for the natural dye thread works at the 15th Korean Annual Traditional Handicraft Art Exhibition in 1990 and he continues to actively publish papers at international conferences.
色. 담기다 Color, contains
The part 2 introduces how Lee Byung Chan tries to find colors from literature. He traveled all over the country in order to find the plants for dye and the dyeing methods recorded in literature such as Gyuhapchongseo and Imwongyeongjeji. He grew and harvested the hard sought after plants and recorded the process in a notebook. Based on such studying, he developed different dyeing methods. Numerous notebooks filled with meticulous notes in his laboratory show that colors he found were not by accident but as a result of long and hard endeavor.
色. 발산하다 Color, radiates
The part 3 introduces the dyeing process of Lee Byung Chan as he tried to reveal local colors. In the reproduced dye workshop decorated with contemporary dyeing tools, how dye plants and medicinal plants from our nature are used to create local colors is shown. Also, dyeing demonstration by Lee Byung Chan allows the visitors to experience how certain dye ingredients make certain colors. Lee also spends a lot of effort in training students in a hope to continue the search for our colors. The works by Lee's students are on display in the last section of the exhibition.
