Gordon Galleries Hosts Collection of Textile Art from Korea

"Jogakbo: Traditional Korean Patchwork," an exhibition of vernacular textile art, will be on display at the Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries from May 9 to June 21. A reception will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 23.

A venerable tradition, these textiles offer a beautiful and engaging vehicle for cross-cultural exchange between Korean artists, the Old Dominion University campus community and residents of Hampton Roads. Such an exchange would not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of the Ssamzisarang Boudoir Craft Research Center, located in Seoul, South Korea.

Bojagi (wrapping cloths), from which jogakbo developed, are perhaps the most unique form of Korean textile art. This tradition occupied a prominent place in the daily lives of Koreans of all classes. Though traditional, it is strikingly contemporary in form. The designs and colors of bojagi remind one of the works of some modern artists and have been described as a true form of abstract expressionism.

Patchwork bojagi, called jogakbo, were made exclusively by and for the common people using various colors of small remnants. The aesthetic sensibility with which these discarded scraps of cloth are manipulated makes jogakbo appealing works of art. The artists in this exhibition work in this vernacular form in order to carry a traditional Korean art into the future.

Jogakbo represents another collaborative international art exchange at the Gordon Art Galleries. An exhibition of World War II-era international military posters from the Czech Republic Military History Institute in Prague, for Norfolk's 56th International Azalea Festival's "A Salute to NATO - Czech Republic," was on display April 17 to May 5.

Admission to the Gordon Galleries, located at 4509 Monarch Way in the University Village, is free. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information call 683-6271.