Illustrated Account of the Koryo Embassy: Calligraphy and Painting Class

This series began with an imaginative question: what if the culture of the Goryeo Dynasty, which existed before Joseon, had continued into the present day? If the clothing and cultural traditions of Goryeo had been naturally carried into contemporary Korean society, today’s younger generations might have lived their everyday lives dressed in this way.

This work is an illustration that imagines a scene of contemporary young people attending a calligraphy and painting class while wearing Goryeo-inspired attire. The costumes of the figures were developed based on Goryeo Buddhist paintings, historical artifacts, and textile references. The patterns and colors of the outer skirt were inspired by textiles depicted in the Amitabha Triad Painting, while the patterns of the jeogori were referenced from a textile fragment in the collection of the Gwangju National Museum. The objects depicted in the scene are modern reinterpretations of Goryeo craftsmanship.

The work also draws from the forms and decorative elements of a 12th-century celadon inlaid bowl with arabesque design, a celadon ewer with copper-red lotus petal motifs, and a duck-shaped incense burner. Through these references, the piece aims to convey the refined aesthetics and everyday culture distinctive to Goryeo.

Exhibition
37th Annual Conference Exhibition of the Japan Society of Basic Design and Art
September 5–6, 2026
Shizuoka University of Art and Culture